Email Raises Concerns About North Charleston’s Cooperation With ICE

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Internal communications from within the North Charleston, South Carolina police department would seem to indicate personnel have been instructed not to assist federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in their efforts to deport criminal illegal aliens.

Sources tell FITSNews that earlier this month, major James Hill sent an email to staff instructing them that “per AC Johnson you all are NOT to do anything with ICE.”

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@FITSNews has been provided emails indicating North Charleston Police Department officers have been instructed "NOT to do anything with @ICEgov."

Our sources tell us the message is authentic, we've reached out to NCHSPD for comment. Stay tuned…@AGAlanWilson @NancyMace pic.twitter.com/jSuDQ0cfla

— Dylan Nolan (@dnolan2000) February 17, 2025

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Deputy chief Angela Johnson, the purported progenitor of this order, joined the department in 1996. She recently made the shortlist of finalists as the department searched for a new chief – a responsibility which was ultimately entrusted to FBI academy graduate Dr. Ron Camacho.

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FITSNews reached out to Camacho for comment on the alleged communication. According to Camacho, the email was not a broad instruction to avoid working with ICE, but rather a message intended to instruct agents assigned to federal task forces not to participate in immigration raids.

“I gave instructions that our personnel attached to federal task forces not go on raids with ICE agents,” Camacho told FITSNews, adding “that does not mean we would not assist them in other ways. We value our successful partnerships with all federal agencies.”

“I apologize for the poorly worded email,” Camacho added, noting the “email did not accurately convey my intent.”

Given the apparent willingness of state and federal prosecutors to punish those who do not comply with federal law immigration authorities, Camacho’s clarification was wise.

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South Carolina attorney general Alan Wilson issued a statement at the beginning of president Donald Trump‘s second administration indicating “any individual who engages in illegal activities, whether by obstructing law enforcement, interfering with investigations, or attempting to disrupt lawful immigration enforcement efforts, will face prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.”

Acting deputy attorney general Emil Bove issued a memo on January 22, 2025 reminding federal prosecutors that “federal law prohibits state and local actors from resisting, obstructing and otherwise failing to comply with lawful immigration-related commands and requests,”

“The U.S. attorney’s offices and litigating components of the Department of Justice shall investigate incidents involving any such misconduct for potential prosecution,” Bove noted.

Upping the ante, U.S. attorney general Pam Bondi – within hours of being sworn in – barred state and local jurisdictions who choose not to comply with immigration authorities from receiving federal Department of Justice (DOJ) grants.

Count on FITSNews to continue to following efforts by federal authorities to enforce our nation’s immigration laws… and resistance to those efforts.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …

(Via: Travis Bell)

Dylan Nolan is the director of special projects at FITSNews. He graduated from the Darla Moore school of business in 2021 with an accounting degree. Got a tip or story idea for Dylan? Email him here. You can also engage him socially @DNolan2000.

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