During her initial term as South Carolina’s governor, Nikki Haley enacted one of the most stringent immigration laws in the United States, drawing parallels to Arizona’s contentious “show me your papers” law. The most debated aspect of South Carolina’s legislation mandated law enforcement to verify individuals’ legal status during stops if suspected of illegal residency. Critics argued this would encourage racial profiling.
Haley, herself a daughter of legal immigrants, emphasized that the bill was not about intolerance, but about upholding the law. “This enforces the fact that illegal immigration is not welcome in South Carolina,” Haley stated at a press conference after signing the bill. “Legal immigration is more than welcome.”
Over a decade later, Haley’s immigration record is under scrutiny as former President Donald Trump focuses on border policy in his campaign to secure the GOP presidential nomination and defeat President Joe Biden in the general election. As Trump and his allies portray Haley as weak on border security, the former South Carolina governor is defending her immigration record and outlining her vision for future federal policy.
This month, Haley criticized Trump for rejecting a bipartisan border agreement and postponing reforms until after the election. She has highlighted her time spent on the US-Mexico border and proposed a border plan that includes increasing border patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, defunding sanctuary cities, and escalating deportations. Haley has also emphasized her state’s resistance to a former Democratic president during her tenure as governor.
However, parts of the 2011 law were blocked by the courts, and strict guidelines were established on when a law enforcement officer could question someone about their legal status. Despite these setbacks, key elements of the law remained intact, including stricter rules for employers using the federal E-Verify database to verify employees’ legal work status and the creation of an Immigration Enforcement Unit to target undocumented immigrants suspected of crimes.
As Haley continues her uphill battle against Trump, she has struggled to highlight her Tea Party roots to voters, many of whom perceive her as a more traditional Republican. This perception has benefited her with moderates and independents but has hindered her with conservatives and the majority of GOP primary voters, who overwhelmingly favor Trump.
Throughout her political career, Haley’s approach to immigration policy has reflected the evolving stance of the Republican Party on the issue. During Obama’s first term, South Carolina was among several states that sought to enforce immigration laws independently. However, Haley has also criticized Republicans for their characterization of migrants, particularly after Trump labeled some migrants as “rapists” and accused them of bringing crime and drugs into the country.
Despite the challenges, Haley remains committed to her hardline immigration policy, advocating for the construction of a border wall, the addition of 25,000 more border patrol and ICE agents, and increased deportations. However, she also emphasizes the need for respectful discourse about immigrants, reminding that America is a country of immigrants.
As the Republican Party continues to grapple with its stance on immigration, Haley’s approach offers a potential middle ground: a firm stance on immigration enforcement coupled with a respectful discourse about immigrants. Whether this approach will resonate with voters remains to be seen.