• South Dakota is expanding its partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
• The state has increased the number of ICE-trained highway patrol troopers from five to a planned 41.
• The Department of Corrections has paroled 24 inmates directly to ICE for deportation.

On Monday, Gov. Larry Rhoden announced that his administration is expanding on its partnerships with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as part of the public safety efforts announced last July.

“My administration’s number one responsibility is keeping South Dakotans safe,” said Rhoden in a release. “We’ve been working hard to get illegal alien criminals off our streets, out of our prison, and out of our country. I am proud of the results our officers have delivered – they are keeping our state strong, safe and free for generations to come – and now there’s more work to do.”

The South Dakota Highway Patrol has enrolled more troopers in ICE training, Rhoden’s release stated, increasing the number of troopers trained eight-fold. Originally, five troopers were trained in July 2025, and 17 troopers are currently trained. With this third addition in force, that number will increase to 41 troopers.

“This partnership is showing strong results,” said Secretary of Public Safety Bob Perry in a release. “In the last twelve months the SD Highway Patrol has conducted 150 arrests of illegal alien criminals.”

More: ICE agents deployed across US, 2 South Dakota locations on list

The expansion is also supported by the Department of Homeland Security. South Dakota is anticipating a federal reimbursement of approximately $165,000, according to Rhoden’s release.

The Department of Corrections (DOC) and the South Dakota National Guard (SDNG) have continued to work with ICE as part of two other components of this state-federal partnership, the release stated.

LAWS: South Dakota has no law on automatic license plate readers

The DOC submitted additional inmates for parole to federal custody and deportation, according to the release. So far, 24 inmates have been paroled directly to ICE custody. DOC and ICE have identified an additional 14 inmates who will be considered for federal custody and deportation. Getting these undocumented immigrants out of the state prison system saves South Dakota taxpayers an average of $34,000 in annual cost per inmate, the administration said.

DOC is also implementing enhanced training of officers to serve warrants and assist ICE with deportations.

The SDNG deployment of seven guardsmen has continued since last fall. These active-duty soldiers in Sioux Falls and Rapid City are helping process deportations, acting as a force multiplier for South Dakota ICE officers, Rhoden’s office stated in the release. Through May 15, the SDNG has assisted directly in processing 664 illegal immigrants who have been deported out of South Dakota.

News

Eastern South Dakota farmer finishes planting ahead of schedule

A farmer in eastern South Dakota says the growing season is off to a good start on his farm now that the corn and soybeans have been planted.

Scott VanderWal, who farms in Brookings County, tells Brownfield “We had a small delay right around the May 1 where we got a couple inches of rain. That was really welcome, and then we went the rest of the way and got it all planted. I think for the most part, most farmers are about done around here, which is fairly early.”

VanderWal says some of the corn is up and soybeans are starting to poke up out of the soil.

In its latest crop progress report, USDA says South Dakota’s corn is 81 percent planted, a 28-point jump from the previous week, with 22 percent of the crop emerged. Fifty-nine percent of the state’s soybeans are planted, a 25-point jump from the previous week with 10 percent of the crop emerged.

VanderWal says rain is needed to help the crops, because it’s been dry in South Dakota. He says while much of the state received rain over the weekend, it skipped the Brookings area, and he’s optimistic some will find the farm this week.

“Sure would love to have an inch of rain or two.”

Temperatures are also expected to dip down to the mid-to-upper 30 degrees this week in parts of South Dakota, but VanderWal says he’s not too worried. 

Hear Brownfield’s interview with VanderWal.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (South Dakota Searchlight) – Former President Joe Biden will be the keynote speaker June 5 at the South Dakota Democratic Party’s McGovern Day Dinner, the party announced Saturday.

“It is an honor to welcome President Biden to South Dakota, especially during such a critical time for our country,” said Shane Merrill, the state party chairman, in a news release.

The fundraiser event will be at the Best Western Plus Ramkota Exhibit Hall in Sioux Falls. It will include a VIP reception at 5:30 p.m. with a presidential meet and greet for photo opportunities at 6 p.m. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., and the dinner will start at 7. Tickets are $125 apiece for the dinner and $250 apiece for the meet and greet, and are available for purchase online. Proceeds benefit the state party.

Other speakers at the event will include the state party’s candidate for U.S. Senate, Julian Beaudion, its candidate for U.S. House, Nikki Gronli, and its candidate for governor, Dan Ahlers. The dinner fundraiser is named for the late George McGovern, who was the 1972 Democratic presidential nominee and represented South Dakota in Congress.