Where S.C. attorney general stands on gender identity, immigration
COLUMBIA, S.C. - Since President Trump has taken office, there have been concerns regarding immigration and transgender rights at the forefront of the nation and in South Carolina.
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson addressed some of these pressing matters, specifically Section 504 and the 287(g) program. He clarified his stance, along with the state’s role, regarding these social issues.
“When you see our citizens being murdered and harmed by violent illegal criminals, we’re going to target those people first. As for everyone else who is here, I want an America where everyone is welcome to be here,” Wilson said. “This is very simple, if you want to come to my house, you come through the front door, I’ll let you in, you can sit on the couch, you can raid my freezer, don’t come through the back window at three o’clock in the morning when I’m asleep.”
Wilson said he also spoke with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials here in South Carolina and officials with the Department of Homeland Security.
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“They have told me that their priorities are not to go into schools and churches and remove children and be traumatic and do these traumatic things that terrify people. Their priority is to go after those people who are an existential threat to the public health and safety in our respective communities. They are going after them,” Wilson added.
He said because the 287(g) program has yet to be fully implemented, there are currently no law enforcement agencies in the Lowcountry that are enrolled or pending enrollment in the program.
When addressing a recent lawsuit against a Biden istration change to Section 504 when the former president added gender identity disorders, Wilson said the motive behind the suit was simply because of federal law.
“They stuck it in through regulation, which you can’t do. A lot of people are concerned that we are challenging the total constitutionality of Section 504, which is categorically false. I 100 percent section 504,” he said.
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Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Education.
Wilson further explained that a regulation can’t change federal law and said if you want to add something like that, you have to do that through the legislative process and the U.S. Congress. He said it’s not about people with gender identity disorder, but rather about the rule of law.
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