Brandon Brown (pictured), candidate for the United States Senate released the following statement regarding Senator Lindsey Graham’s proposal to create federal grants that would incentivize local police departments to work with ICE:
"Senator Lindsey Graham’s latest proposal is yet another attempt to divide South Carolinians instead of solving the real problems our communities are facing.
Let’s be clear: law enforcement officers across South Carolina aren’t begging Washington for immigration bounties. They’re calling for fair pay, mental health support, updated equipment, safer working conditions, and the staffing necessary to keep our neighborhoods safe. Instead of delivering that, Senator Graham wants to dangle federal dollars in exchange for turning our local police departments into extensions of ICE. And he's doing this even if it erodes trust between officers and the communities they serve.
Public safety is built on partnership, not fear. When immigrant families, documented or undocumented, are afraid to report crimes, witness violence, or seek help, all of us are less safe. Turning deputies into immigration agents makes their jobs harder, not easier.
I believe in investing directly in our officers, not coercing them into federal political agendas. South Carolina law enforcement deserves stable funding, not conditional dollars tied to partisan talking points. As the owner of one of South Carolina’s oldest Black-owned funeral homes, I’ve seen firsthand how distrust between institutions and communities can cost lives. I will not stand by while Washington politicians pit neighbor against neighbor for headlines.
As South Carolina's next U.S. Senator, I will:
● Fully fund local law enforcement without strings attached.
● Support community policing that builds trust instead of fear.
Lindsey Graham has spent too long playing politics with public safety. South Carolina deserves leadership that puts people over posturing."