Immigration advocates seek answers after Bluffton ICE raid, plan protest outside Beaufort County building

BLUFFTON, S.C. (WTOC) - Immigration advocates in Beaufort County say fear is lingering for several families after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation in Bluffton late last week.

Video obtained by WTOC shows 17 men being escorted out of the Beaufort County Government Building in Bluffton and loaded into a van by law enforcement.

Advocates say they still have major questions about what happened — including how many arrest warrants were served, what charges were connected to those warrants, and whether the names of those taken into custody will be released.

Local immigration attorney Aimee Deverall, a member of the Lowcountry Immigration Coalition, said her office received hundreds of calls in the days following the operation.

“This is really people’s worst nightmare that you’re going to leave your house to go to work and not come back,” Deverall said.

Deverall said she is not representing any of the people believed to be in custody, but said she has spoken with multiple people who told her they have not heard from loved ones in days and are worried they were detained.

“We should at least be able to verify how many people were detained and where those people were taken so that their loved ones can find them,” she said.

Sheriff’s Office says it assisted under 287(g) agreement

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office said it assisted with the operation under a 287(g) agreement signed last year, which allows the department to partner with ICE to help enforce immigration laws.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, the operation focused on locating and apprehending individuals who had previously been ordered removed from the United States and failed to comply with removal orders. The agency said it provided operational support, officer-safety coordination, and logistical assistance.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) also assisted.

Deverall said she and others voiced concerns about the 287(g) agreement during community meetings held last summer, and worried the partnership could discourage people from reporting crimes.

“It creates fear and distrust in the community when people don’t know if I am a victim of a crime, or if it is safe for me to report,” she said.

Advocates call on businesses to speak out; protest planned

In the wake of the arrests, an emergency community meeting was held, with dozens attending and organizations offering support, advocates said. Deverall noted some community members were too afraid to leave their homes and watched via livestream.

Now, Deverall and other advocates are calling on local businesses to speak out against future raids and against the 287(g) agreement.

“We need you to speak up. We have a community right now that is terrified because they are being terrorized,” Deverall said.

Deverall said the coalition has heard the same questions repeatedly over the past week — particularly from members of the immigrant community.

“I think everyone right now has the same questions, which is, ' What can I do? How can I help? But for the immigrant community, it’s how do we make this stop? Who is going to stand up and defend us? Who is going to fight back?” she said.

ICE questions remain unanswered

WTOC has reached out to an ICE spokesperson multiple times since the operation, asking how many arrest warrants were issued, what charges were connected to those warrants, and whether the agency would release the identities of those taken into custody.

Those questions have not been answered as of this report.

The Lowcountry Immigration Coalition over the past week — particularly from members of the immigrant communityis holding a protest that is expected to be held on Friday evening outside the Beaufort County Government Building in Bluffton from 4 p.m.- 6 p.m.