Latest news with #SamOlson
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Operation Prairie Thunder' will assist with deportations and boost Sioux Falls law enforcement
Gov. Larry Rhoden speaks to reporters from a podium on July 28, 2025, at the Public Safety Administration Building in Sioux Falls. Also visible are, from left, Dan Satterlee, director of the state Division of Criminal Investigation, and Sam Olson, Minneapolis field office director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight) SIOUX FALLS — The state of South Dakota will spend more time and money in the coming months to police the streets of Sioux Falls, and to help federal agents deport immigrants who lack legal status. The work will support the state's fast-growing city, Gov. Larry Rhoden said, and help the state's seven federal immigration agents add to their current arrest tally of 262 in the state since President Donald Trump took office. Rhoden made the announcement Monday morning at the Sioux Falls Public Safety Administration Building. The governor spoke from a podium that was adorned with a logo. The logo included a depiction of a buffalo, in sunglasses and a state trooper hat, and the words 'Operation Prairie Thunder.' Representatives of state, county, city and federal law enforcement agencies fanned out from either side of the governor in the center's press room, alongside prosecutors, state Department of Corrections officials, Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken and Sioux Falls Republican state Rep. Greg Jamison. 'This is a comprehensive, targeted public safety initiative to protect South Dakotans,' Rhoden told reporters. On the immigration side, Rhoden told the press he'd committed the prison system and state's part-time military force to help federal agents deport people living in the country illegally. Six members of the South Dakota National Guard will do paperwork on behalf of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a move Rhoden said would free up those agents to search streets and communities for people to detain and deport. Three will work in Sioux Falls, three in Rapid City. The prison system, meanwhile, will move to sign what's known as a 287(g) agreement with ICE for jail and detention, and offer transportation of detainees to and from the regional ICE headquarters in Minneapolis. Corrections Secretary Kellie Wasko said the state could continue to both move all the inmates it needs to and offer courier services to ICE – state officers would first need to complete federal training, she said – without adding additional transport officers. The state has identified 11 people in DOC custody for likely removal, Rhoden said. Most are nonviolent offenders nearing the end of their prison terms, he said, 'so it doesn't make sense for us to continue to hold them.' Each will first have their case reviewed by the state Board of Pardons and Paroles. Inmates facing possible deportation typically serve out their sentences prior to the commencement of deportation proceedings, and would need to be paroled to be released to ICE. For those among the 11 in state prison custody who committed violent offenses and have time remaining on those sentences, Rhoden said he hopes ICE will work with their home counties to make sure they're detained upon arrival. Sam Olson, field office director for ICE, said the moves from Rhoden are a welcome counterweight to the efforts of uncooperative 'sanctuary cities' and jurisdictions across the U.S. The initiative will help ICE 'extend the reach we have,' he said. The Highway Patrol signed a 287(g) agreement with ICE earlier this year, as did the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. The Minnehaha County and Hughes County sheriff's offices have 287(g) agreements at the local level. On the Sioux Falls policing side of the initiative, South Dakota state troopers will perform two saturation patrols per month in the city and surrounding areas. The patrol will use its helicopter as necessary to aid in drug law enforcement, and help the prison system's parole absconder apprehension team to find and detain parolees who've stopped checking in. South Dakota Attorney General clarifies scope of immigration enforcement agreement The 10-15 additional saturation patrol troopers come on top of the eight additional troopers Rhoden stationed permanently in Sioux Falls in February, at a one-time cost of $1 million and an ongoing cost of $1.4 million a year. Sioux Falls officials and lawmakers have raised concerns – and proposed bills in Pierre – to address illegal street racing in the city in recent years. On top of targeting drug dealers and gang activity, Rhoden said, 'this should also help with those efforts.' Mayor TenHaken said violent and property crime in the city are at a five-year low, but said he welcomes the help to stay ahead of the city's population growth. 'About a third of the state's population is now in the Sioux Falls metro area, so in Sioux Falls, we really value our partnerships,' the mayor said. Rhoden said the Highway Patrol would absorb the additional cost. The state hasn't calculated a dollar amount, he said, adding 'I don't think that's significant enough to where we identified where that would come from, but I assumed it would be general fund dollars.' South Dakota Democrats released statements Monday afternoon criticizing the Rhoden administration for the operation. The opposition party called out what it described as misplaced budget priorities, noting that the state cut benefits for needy families earlier this month, citing a lack of funding. 'We should be investing in people, not surveillance,' said House Minority Leader Erin Healy, of Sioux Falls, in a statement. 'Just last week, our state government slashed funding for families in poverty and now all of a sudden we have all these funds to throw at helicopters and state troopers in Sioux Falls. This is despite the falling crime statistics in the city.' State Senate Minority Leader Liz Larson, also of Sioux Falls, said she's concerned that ICE could sweep up people without criminal records, including those working in the state's agricultural community. That could bring economic harm to the state, she said. A group called the Deportation Data Project says convicted criminals make up less than half of the Trump administration's ICE arrests nationwide, according to a Stateline story published last week, and that a large number of deportees were arrested after traffic violations, or for immigration law violations alone. 'This operation sends the wrong message to immigrant families across South Dakota,' Larson said in her statement. 'While I agree that we need to hold criminals accountable and be tough on crime, this goes too far. It is especially worrying given the well-documented concerns about how ICE is currently operating.' EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated since its original publication with the addition of reaction from Democratic officials. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Rhoden was running a state-funded campaign before Operation Prairie Thunder
Gov. Larry Rhoden speaks to reporters from a podium on July 28, 2025, at the Public Safety Administration Building in Sioux Falls. Also visible are, from left, Dan Satterlee, director of the state Division of Criminal Investigation, and Sam Olson, Minneapolis field office director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight) Election years call for politicians to do some tricky maneuvering. While an elected official will present a new initiative as a way to help constituents, opponents are likely to label it as a cynical attempt to curry favor with voters. That's where Gov. Larry Rhoden finds himself right now after the announcement of Operation Prairie Thunder. It commits the National Guard, Highway Patrol and Corrections Department to support federal immigration enforcement, and commits state troopers to saturation patrols in Sioux Falls. National Guard soldiers will help U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with administrative tasks, Highway Patrol troopers will do immigration enforcement during the regular course of their work, and Corrections Department personnel will coordinate with ICE to deport inmates in state custody who entered the country illegally. Race for South Dakota governor could be a race for Trump's favor Critics of the program have complained that Rhoden is using state resources to further his own political ambitions, even though the governor has not revealed whether he will seek election to the office he gained when Kristi Noem joined President Donald Trump's Cabinet. 'While I agree that we need to hold criminals accountable and be tough on crime, this goes too far,' said Sen. Liz Larson, a Democrat from Sioux Falls. If Democrats think Prairie Thunder is Rhoden's first attempt to use his office for political gain, they're late with their criticism. Since mid-March, the governor has been running a shadow reelection campaign through his Open for Opportunity Tour. Rhoden introduced that initiative as a continuation of Noem's Open for Business program. According to a news release from the governor's office, 'The Open for Opportunity Tour will feature Governor Rhoden visiting communities across South Dakota to highlight their economic development efforts, learn their specific needs, and work together to chase down opportunities.' In effect, Rhoden stepped into office and onto the campaign trail. The Open for Opportunity Tour is introducing business leaders to their new governor. It is also introducing the new governor to an ever-growing group of potential political donors. An unscientific search of state news releases found that since March 17 Rhoden has made 17 Open for Opportunity trips to 25 communities. From Sioux Falls to the Standing Rock Reservation, from Mud Butte to Mitchell, from Box Elder to Huron, Rhoden is getting to know the business leaders in each community as well as fattening his Rolodex. On one hand, it's refreshing to have a governor who is more interested in traveling in the state than out-of-state. Of course all of these trips are state funded, your tax dollars at work as Rhoden scores some political points. The irony here is that for all Rhoden's work currying favor with business leaders, Prairie Thunder will likely alienate some of them. Pledging to round up illegal aliens will make it tougher to fill those jobs that only immigrants are willing to tackle. While South Dakota is Open for Opportunity, one of those opportunities has been for Rhoden to run a political campaign using state funds. In essence, the governor is using an office he wasn't elected to as a means to jumpstart a campaign he hasn't announced yet. Now that's quite an opportunity. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
18-06-2025
- CBS News
Chicago ICE Director Sam Olson defends immigration actions after touring facility with House Speaker Mike Johnson
The head of the U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement Chicago field office sat down with CBS News Chicago to defend his agency's deportation mission in the city. Sam Olson said he understands some of the frustration and fear that families are feeling in this moment and said that extends to his agents as well. "For sure, right, and I mean the officers do too. They're all human. Like, I'm human, you know," he said. "It's a hard thing. Law enforcement can be a hard job, because we're dealing with people, we're not dealing with things, and they realize it's going to be tough. There are times when you have to arrest a dad and then, you know, the mom and family is there, like, don't think that doesn't have an effect on the officers because it does." Olson is in charge of the immigration enforcement operation that was previously staffed five days a week. He said they are now sending out 10 to 12 teams a day to make arrests seven days a week. "We'll look at a chunk of cases and try to find the worst of the worst, and those are the ones we try to target first," Olson said. "In addition to those, right, we have just cases that have final orders of removal already, where an immigration judge has ordered them removed." CBS News Chicago has heard from people who said a loved one has been arrested without committing any serious crime or being convicted of any serious crime. Our news cameras have also captured people being detained after showing up for an immigration check-in appointment. Olson said these types of arrests can happen a few different ways. He said the agency prefers to arrest undocumented immigrants upon their release from Cook County Jail, should they be charged with a crime. "The biggest way it happens here in Illinois, because some of the policies, right, the sanctuary policies that the state has, is that we don't really get notified of, say, if Chicago PD arrests somebody, books them in Cook County Jail, we may know they're in there but then they're prohibited by law from giving us that information," Olson said. "Even if we put a detainer down, they're prohibited from honoring that detainer or calling us when somebody is released, so essentially anybody that is here illegally would get released, and so when they get released, those are the cases that we go after." An immigration detainer is a request from ICE to federal, state or local law enforcement agencies to notify them as early as possible before releasing an undocumented immigrant from custody, and to hold that undocumented immigrant for up to 48 hours beyond when they'd normally be released so they can be detained by the Department of Homeland Security. "We'll work up a case like that and then we're going out into the field to look for them," he continued. "And so, when we're out in the field doing that, if we encounter our target and we encounter other people that might just be here illegally, we'll have to arrest those as well." Olson said there's also a reason his agents are wearing masks, though they should identify themselves. "They're mandated to identify themselves when they make an arrest," he said. "I think it's unfortunate that a lot of our officers feel they have to wear the masks and that's something that's come down more recently, right. We didn't see that often, and where that's coming from is that there's been officers, thankfully none here yet, but nationwide that are getting doxxed. They're out here doing their jobs and they're getting their pictures taken and they're getting their faces posted with their home addresses." Earlier in the day, Olson brought U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) on a tour of their offices and holding facility. "So I saw the holding facilities here," Johnson said afterward. "And what stuck out to me is they need upgrades. This facility was last updated in 2008, so this is long overdue, the technology has changed, and a lot of the facility requirements are not being met because they don't have the funding for it." Johnson is pushing for a budget bill with $45 billion to expand ICE detention capacity, but there are questions about transparency in that spending and how Americans would be informed about where their tax dollars are going. "We want to be completely transparent," Johnson said. "The American citizens and taxpayers deserve that, and I could tell you, my visit with personnel here today, the leaders here, they're happy to shine a light, bring in the cameras and show everybody exactly what's happening, to the extent that they're able to do that under given law." CBS News Chicago asked to join Speaker Johnson and Olson on that tour of the detention facility, but we were not allowed to.
