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South Carolina’s top prosecutor, Alan Wilson, joined a coalition of Republican attorneys general – and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director Tom Homan – at the southern border Wednesday to voice full-throated support for president Donald Trump’s renewed border security policies.
This included support for “Operation Tidal Wave,” a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration and fentanyl trafficking.
Flanked by law enforcement officials and fellow state prosecutors, Wilson described the U.S.-Mexico border wall in Arizona as not just a regional barrier, but “the border wall for South Carolina.” He framed the event as a show of unity among state leaders who viewed the previous administration’s approach to immigration as a well-documented failure – and Trump’s return to power as a turning point.
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“Good policy incentivizes good conduct,” Wilson said. “Bad policy incentivizes bad conduct — and I’ve seen firsthand how disastrous border policy has fueled drug trafficking, human trafficking and violent crime across South Carolina.”
Wilson highlighted a recent South Carolina drug trafficking investigation that spanned four and a half years, during which authorities seized 540 kilos of fentanyl, 850 kilos of cocaine, and 500 kilos of methamphetamine — quantities he said were directly linked to cartel activity entering the country through the southern border.
“In just one case, we seized enough fentanyl to kill 2 million South Carolinians,” Wilson noted, underscoring the direct threat he says the Palmetto State faces from lax federal enforcement.
He credited Trump’s current administration with reversing that trend, praising policies that empower local and state law enforcement to support immigration efforts through the controversial 287(g) program — a federal initiative that deputizes local officers to carry out immigration enforcement functions.
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Wilson announced that South Carolina’s State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is now actively participating in the 287(g) program — and undergoing training to collaborate with ICE agents. He also reported a sharp increase in sheriff participation: While only three sheriffs were previously enrolled, that number has jumped to nearly 20 over the last three months.
“South Carolina isn’t just watching this crisis unfold — we’re part of the enforcement solution,” Wilson said.
Wilson went on to call for vigilance beyond physical borders, citing the role of Chinese-owned apps like WeChat in facilitating money laundering and peer-to-peer drug trafficking. Wilson argued that digital platforms have become “a new front line in border enforcement” and urged a broader definition of border security in the age of transnational cybercrime.
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Biden’s admin refused to use President Trump’s wall and instead built barriers that are easily cut, climbed, and ignored. The difference? @POTUS’s wall goes 10 feet deep and is filled with concrete. One stops cartels. The other helps them. Glad to have real leadership back at the… pic.twitter.com/oS4DpXcseb
— Alan Wilson (@AGAlanWilson) May 21, 2025
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NATIONAL ATTORNEYS GENERAL ECHO SUPPORT
Wilson’s remarks came as part of a broader show of support from attorneys general across the country. Officials from Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, North Dakota, Montana, and South Dakota all participated in the press event and echoed similar concerns over fentanyl, human trafficking, and the burdens on state resources caused by what they called “unchecked illegal immigration” under Biden.
Each AG praised the Trump administration for restoring morale to federal immigration officers and vowed continued litigation support to defend border security policies.
“This is not just about Arizona,” said Indiana AG Todd Rokita. “Every state is now a border state.”
Wednesday’s press conference underscored a growing state-level alliance backing Trump’s aggressive immigration stance — and a likely preview of legal battles to come. Wilson and others hinted at continued legal advocacy to reinforce Trump-era rules on asylum, welfare access for undocumented immigrants and interior enforcement policies.
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RELATED | FALSE HOPE’ ON FENTANYL
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Wilson, now in his fourth term, is one of the longest-serving attorneys general in the country and has become a vocal national figure in conservative legal circles. His presence at the border underscores how deeply immigration — and fentanyl — have become interwoven with state politics in South Carolina.
As part of the rollout of “Operation Tidal Wave,” Republican attorneys general pledged to increase collaboration with federal agencies and crack down on both cross-border crime and state-level sanctuary policies.
Whether these efforts lead to measurable changes in border encounters or immigration prosecutions remains to be seen — but Wilson made clear South Carolina intends to be on the front lines.
“We have a duty to defend this wall,” he said. “Not just the one made of steel and concrete — but the digital wall between us and the criminals exploiting our communities.”
Stay with FITSNews for continued coverage of border security policy and its impact on South Carolina.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Jenn Wood is FITSNews’ incomparable research director. She’s also the producer of the FITSFiles and Cheer Incorporated podcasts and leading expert on all things Murdaugh/ South Carolina justice. A former private investigator with a criminal justice degree, evildoers beware, Jenn Wood is far from your average journalist! A deep dive researcher with a passion for truth and a heart for victims, this mom of two is pretty much a superhero in FITSNews country. Did we mention she’s married to a rocket scientist? (Lucky guy!) Got a story idea or a tip for Jenn? Email her at jenn@fitsnews.com.
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3 comments
More performative bullshit.
Newsflash: Most of the fentanyl coming into the country from Mexico does NOT come in through illegal border crossings.
Maybe one day South Carolina will get a real leader. But that is defintely not today.
Did he really need a taxpayer funded trip to call attention to the dangerous work our SC law enforcement officials are doing? Couldn’t he just sign onto a letter condemning/supporting something – which seems to be his usual tactic?