Sanctuary cities won't be coming to South Dakota under Senate proposal

Gov. Kristi Noem's office throws support behind Sen. Casey Crabtree's effort to ban sanctuary status for a state that has no sanctuary cities

Sen. Casey Crabtree, R-Madison, tours the southern border in 2023 on a fact-finding trip sponsored by Americans for Prosperity. (Austin Goss/The Dakota Scout)

South Dakota could join a growing list of states to pass laws that ban local and state agencies from aiding illegal immigrants by creating so-called sanctuary policies.

A Senate committee Thursday morning unanimously passed a bill that prohibits local governments from limiting individuals to participate with federal agents who are verifying the immigration status of illegal immigrants. Nor can any local government confer legal status to anyone in the country illegally.

The bill also prohibits the state, cities and counties from taking disciplinary action against local law enforcement officers who do assist federal immigration authorities, or those law enforcement officers that fail to comply with a sanctuary policy.

Lawmakers moving to ramp up voting residency requirements