Attorney General Alan Wilson defends strong illegal immigration enforcement at SCOTUS

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – Attorney General Alan Wilson joined a 27-state coalition in a friend-of-the-court brief at the U.S. Supreme Court supporting the legality of detaining illegal aliens without a bond hearing pending their removal from the country.

While immigration enforcement is frequently a federal responsibility, states can take action through partnerships with the federal government. Some states, including South Carolina, have entered into 287(g) agreements which allow state law enforcement officers to assist federal authorities in immigration matters.

Attorney General Wilson has consistently urged law enforcement agencies throughout the state to enter into 287(g) agreements to ensure their communities remain as safe as possible.

A recent Court of Appeals decision determined that when an illegal alien's detention becomes "unreasonably prolonged," the detainee is constitutionally entitled to a bond hearing. The brief argues that the court's decision was a judicial overreach into an issue that is exclusively entrusted to the political branches.

"There have been far too many families that have suffered tragedies because of a concerted effort to usurp federal immigration law," Attorney General Wilson stated. "It's time that the policies passed by Congress are followed and we take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of every community across the country."

Attorney General Wilson joined the Iowa-led brief along with the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

You can read the brief here.