ICE Nabs 114 Illegal Migrants in South Carolina Highway Sweep
Federal immigration authorities arrested 114 illegal migrants during a three-day highway operation in South Carolina, also seizing 10 kilograms of cocaine worth $200,000.
The Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted “Operation Safe Drive” along Interstate 26 and Interstate 85 in the Palmetto State on May 12, 13, and 14. The operation was carried out in coordination with state and local law enforcement agencies.
Lindsay Williams, an ICE spokesperson, classified the arrests as both criminal and administrative in nature, though specific charges and the identities of those detained have not yet been made public.
Major Drug Seizure During Operation
Beyond immigration enforcement, the operation yielded significant narcotics seizures. Officers confiscated 10 kilograms of cocaine valued at $200,000, along with an undisclosed amount of cash, as Breitbart News reports.
The drugs and currency were discovered when law enforcement officers boarded a commercial bus and located a passenger transporting the contraband.
The multi-day operation resulted in 145 traffic stops and 77 vehicle inspections. Authorities removed 22 drivers and vehicles from service during the enforcement action.
State Cooperation Under 287(g) Program
South Carolina’s State Law Enforcement Division participated in the traffic enforcement operations. SLED joined the federal government’s 287(g) program in 2025 alongside 44 other state law enforcement agencies, enabling closer cooperation with ICE in enforcing federal immigration laws.
The 287(g) program allows designated state and local officers to perform immigration law enforcement functions under federal supervision.
Nationwide Highway Operations Expanding
ICE has substantially increased highway enforcement operations across multiple states in recent months. In October, the agency arrested 91 illegal aliens along Interstate 40 in Oklahoma. The following December, ICE detained 101 illegal alien truck drivers operating on California’s roadways.
Just last month, Florida law enforcement agencies assisted ICE in arresting nearly 250 illegal migrants along the state’s highways.
The expanded highway operations represent a key component of the administration’s strategy to enforce immigration law in the nation’s interior, targeting both illegal presence and criminal activity by foreign nationals unlawfully in the United States.
With information from Breitbart News
