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

GOP Reps. Nancy Mace of South Carolina and Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin on Friday sent a letter to local law enforcement in Charleston, South Carolina, regarding its 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 Homeland Security, Border and Foreign Affairs, said they are investigating local law enforcement officials who do not they manage to come back. illegal immigrants to ICE after being booked into local jails.

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

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

“Because of your actions, ICE has designated Charleston County an ‘uncooperative’ facility 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 further action, including the use of compulsory process, to obtain compliance and obtain this critical material.”

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

“We respect the law. And I’ll say it again: 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 solve mine… Because Congress hasn’t done its job, lawmakers like her think it’s their job to force someone else to do it. their work. Not under my watch.”

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

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