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House Republicans investigating Charleston sheriff’s alleged refusal to cooperate with ICE
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House Republicans investigating Charleston sheriff’s alleged refusal to cooperate with ICE

On Friday, GOP Reps. Nancy Mace of South Carolina and Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin sent a letter to local law enforcement in Charleston, South Carolina, regarding his alleged failure to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials regarding illegal immigration.

Mace, who chairs the House Oversight Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology and Government Innovation, and Grothman, who chairs the House Oversight Subcommittee on National Security, Border and Foreign Affairs, said they are investigating local law enforcement officials who fail to turn their backs. illegal immigrants to ICE after being incarcerated in their local jails.

Lawmakers sent the letter to Charleston County Sheriff Kristin Graziano, requesting all documents and communications related to her office’s refusal to release illegal immigrants into ICE custody before their release.

ICE data revealed that Graziano failed to honor 51 detention requests issued by the agency and canceled a pre-existing agreement that gave ICE enough time to pick up illegal immigrants.

“As a result of your actions, ICE has designated Charleston County an ‘uncooperative’ institution for refusing to detain criminal aliens long enough for ICE to take custody of them,” the lawmakers wrote. “If you fail to produce the requested documents by November 15, 2024, the Committee will consider additional measures, including recourse to the mandatory procedure, to achieve compliance and obtain these critical documents.”

Graziano published a statement after the letter, claiming Mace was a “liar” and stating Mace’s request was an “abuse of power.”

“We follow the law. And I repeat: Nancy Mace is a liar,” she said. “Just because she and her colleagues in Congress can’t solve our country’s federal immigration problem doesn’t mean they can make it mine… Because Congress has failed to do its part. job, legislators like her think it’s their job to force someone else to do it. Not on my watch.

Graziano added that she has never refused a judge’s order to detain illegal immigrants. Graziano also released some of the documents requested by Mace and Grothman.

Misty Severi is an evening reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on for more coverage.