SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — South Dakota will have two DCI agents that can enforce immigration laws as part of a new 287(g) partnership between DCI and ICE.
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announced the change this week.
Jackley says the program does not target everyone here illegally and says his focus is on violent criminals and drug dealers, but one South Dakota non-profit has raised concerns about DCI’s newest change.
Jackley says one agent on the west side of South Dakota and another on the eastern half of the state are in training.
“This federal partnership will give DCI agents the authority in violent crime situations and drug dealing arrests to make an immediate determination of whether or not we wish to keep in state jurisdiction on the criminal proceedings or to begin a deportation if it’s an illegal immigrant. It gives us the ability to do that without waiting for ICE agents,” Jackley said.
According to Taneeza Islam, CEO of South Dakota Voices for Peace, DCI had multiple agreements to choose from, and the agency chose the task force model.
“This task force model was in effect from 1996 to 2012. They discontinued it for two main reasons: Because it was a less efficient way of identifying people to deport, and number two, had a high propensity for racially profiling Hispanic, Latino and other people who look like they could be unlawfully present,” Islam said.
“This allows the task force model for when we’re in the field, when we’re making the arrest of a violent criminal or a drug dealer, to take action. That may involve a deportation depending upon the circumstances,” Jackley said.
Islam also raises questions on how DCI plans to just target violent criminals and drug dealers.
“It has no limitation in the written agreement that there’s a limited scope as Jackley is mentioning unless that’s written somewhere else. It’s a little confusing on how that will be executed,” Islam said.
“I’ve set the policy work with DCI so that we want to limit this to the most serious offenders, those that are engaged in violent crime or drug deals. We don’t want to turn our DCI agents into federal authorities, only in the limited instances when it’s violent crime and drug dealers. I feel that’s necessary to protect our state,” Jackley said.
Jackley hopes that the two agents in training complete it in time for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
Jackley says the preparation for the DCI agents involved in 287(g) includes 40 hours of online training.
