South Carolina Immigration Enforcement and Workforce Compliance Act
Summary
This bill would require South Carolina law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities when unlawfully present individuals are charged with or convicted of crimes, and it would expand mandatory E-Verify use for many employers. It also adds tougher consequences for employer noncompliance and allows immigration status-related aggravating sentencing in some cases while preserving emergency services, K-12 access, due process, and victim/witness cooperation.
Full text
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina that state and local law enforcement agencies shall, consistent with federal and constitutional law, cooperate with federal immigration authorities in the identification and transfer of individuals unlawfully present in the United States who are charged with or convicted of criminal offenses; that all public employers, state contractors, and private employers above a threshold set by state regulation shall use the federal E-Verify system for new hires, with civil penalties, license sanctions, and graduated enforcement for knowing noncompliance; and that offenses committed by unlawfully present individuals may be considered an aggravating factor at sentencing where permitted by law, while preserving due process protections and ensuring this act does not restrict emergency services, K-12 education access, or victim and witness cooperation with law enforcement.
Sponsor
Brett StephensRepublican Party
Cosponsors
None yet