Trump deportations come after unlawful immigrant rattled South Carolina; motive in interstate shutdown unknown

As deportation efforts ramp up below President Donald Trump, native Republican Celebration members say it’s a much-needed mission after an immigrant truck driver brought on visitors mayhem in South Carolina final month, shutting down a freeway after claiming to have a bomb in his 18-wheeler.

The GOP leaders say it’s one other case of former President Joe Biden’s lax immigration system affecting hardworking residents, including new Trump administration deportations cannot get began quick sufficient.

Ahmad Jamal Khamees Alhendi, 28, was stopped by state transport police Jan. 2 round 2:45 p.m. for having a lacking license plate on his tractor-trailer, based on the South Carolina Division of Public Security (SCDPS).

He then instructed a regulation enforcement officer there was an explosive machine contained in the industrial automobile, police stated. The risk prompted police to close down all six lanes of I-85 so the Greenville County Sheriff’s Workplace, South Carolina Legislation Enforcement Division (SLED) and the FBI might examine the risk.

Ahmad Jamal Khamees Alhendi was arrested in South Carolina after officers say he made a pretend bomb risk throughout a visitors cease. (Alex Hicks Jr./Workers/USA As we speak Community through Imagn Photos, left; Greenville County Detention Heart, proper.)

SUSPECTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT’S FAKE BOMB THREAT SHUTS DOWN SC HIGHWAY

The 18-wheeler was finally cleared, and all lanes of I-85 have been reopened almost 5 hours later.

Alhendi was arrested and jailed, and he was issued a Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer. ICE detainers are maintain notices of non-citizens who might be faraway from the nation after being arrested for prison exercise and brought into custody.

ICE instructed Fox Information Digital Alhendi is a Jordanian nationwide who legally entered the US in St. Paul, Minnesota, Sept. 20, 2018. His handle is listed as Oak Garden, Illinois.

Alhendi has since didn’t adjust to the phrases of his authorized admittance, that means he’s now within the nation illegally. 

The freeway shutdown, which passed off close to mile marker 44, led to lengthy delays and bumper-to-bumper visitors.

The incident additionally put many residents on edge as a result of it occurred the day after terrorist Shamsud-Din Jabbar plowed his truck right into a crowd stuffed with New Yr’s revelers on Bourbon Avenue in New Orleans, killing 14 and injuring dozens of others.

It additionally adopted a case in Could during which two Jordanian nationals have been charged with unlawfully getting into Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. A spokesperson for the bottom stated on the time that two individuals in a field truck have been stopped at a gate, with the motive force allegedly telling navy law enforcement officials they have been making a supply to the publish workplace and labored for a corporation subcontracted by Amazon.

Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) sources instructed Fox Information in Could that one of many Jordanian males crossed into the U.S. illegally in April earlier than being launched. ICE instructed Fox Information the opposite man was a international scholar whose standing was terminated in January. That case was later dismissed.

On Jan. 2, the day of the bomb hoax, Alhendi was a contractor for Globe Transportation, an Illinois-based truck firm. 

Ahmad Jamal Khamees Alhendi after being arrested. (WHNS)

A spokesperson for Globe Transportation instructed Fox Information Alhendi had authorized work authorization when it employed him and a clear, legitimate industrial license. He additionally owned the 18-wheeler he was driving.

The spokesperson stated the corporate by no means had any points with him throughout his time contracted with the corporate. She stated it was her understanding his license plate had fallen off, and that’s why he was stopped by SCDPS.

Nonetheless, it’s nonetheless unclear why he allegedly claimed to have a bomb in his truck.

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Alhendi’s legal professional instructed Fox Information Digital he wouldn’t touch upon behalf of his consumer. 

State Sen. Tom Fernandez, who represents the thirty ninth District in South Carolina, stated the chaotic incident stemmed from a scarcity of immigration enforcement and put residents in danger. 

“This incident highlights the essential want for stronger enforcement of immigration legal guidelines and higher oversight of those that overstay their authorized entry into the U.S.,” Fernandez instructed Fox Information Digital. “An individual who entered legally however then didn’t adjust to the phrases of their keep shouldn’t have been capable of function freely inside our nation, not to mention trigger this stage of disruption.”

“South Carolinians should really feel secure of their communities, and incidents like this solely reinforce the urgency of securing our borders and guaranteeing that immigration legal guidelines are correctly enforced.”

Drew McKissick, the chair of the South Carolina Republican Celebration, echoed these sentiments. 

“It is a traditional case of the affect Joe Biden and the Democrats had on our nation,” McKissick instructed Fox Information Digital final week. “Fortunately, that each one ends in just some days. It is time to put Individuals first, and with President Trump again within the White Home, we might be certain the rule of regulation and our security might be a precedence once more.”

Trump’s new “border czar,” Tom Homan, instructed “America Studies” Tuesday that ICE has begun its deliberate mass deportations, focusing first on migrants who pose a hazard to the general public. 

“ICE groups are on the market as of at the moment,” Homan stated. “We gave them path to prioritize public security threats that we’re on the lookout for. So, we have been working up the goal listing.”

The ICE operations come after Trump declared the southern border a nationwide emergency Monday and introduced a flurry of border-related govt orders, together with the resumption of development of the border wall, disabling the CBP One app to parole migrants into the U.S. and deploying troops to the border. 

The bomb risk brought on visitors gridlock. (WHNS)

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Alhendi appeared in courtroom the day after the interstate mayhem and was charged with conveying false details about a bomb risk, breach of peace of a excessive and aggravated nature and having no automobile license.

He was issued a complete surety bond of $20,238 for all three prices and despatched to the Greenville County Detention Heart, Fox Carolina reported. He was then denied bond days later after the South Carolina Solicitor’s Workplace filed a movement to rethink the bond as soon as it realized of his immigration standing and pending ICE detainer. 

Police guiding visitors on Interstate 85 Jan. 2.  (Alex Hicks Jr./Workers/USA As we speak Community through Imagn Photos)

Alhendi remains to be listed as being in custody. He has a listening to scheduled for Aug. 6. 2026, earlier than an immigration choose with the Justice Division’s Government Workplace for Immigration Evaluation, based on ICE.

The South Carolina Division of Public Security is the lead company over that investigation, an FBI spokesperson instructed Fox Information Digital.