Charleston County, S.C. – A sting operation at the Alamo Nightclub in Charleston County led to at least 80 people in custody over the weekend, leaving the local immigrant community shaken and fearful. Many of those arrested are reportedly undocumented, but community members argue that not all of them are criminals, feeling that they were unfairly targeted.
A Shocking Raid at the Alamo Nightclub
Homeland Security officials described the raid on Sunday morning as a “cartel afterparty,” but those who were present, like Destiny Tinoco, were left shocked by the sudden enforcement action. Tinoco, who has visited the nightclub many times, said she never suspected the venue was operating illegally.
“The whole thing has just kept me really tense and still shaken up,” Tinoco explained. She was at the club celebrating a birthday when law enforcement arrived. According to Tinoco, it seemed like the police were rounding up everyone at the venue.
“No one was allowed to leave,” she recalled. “Finally, they were having everybody go out through certain exits to have their IDs looked at, checked, and patted down.”
Details of the Arrests
According to law enforcement, 66 of the individuals arrested were in the U.S. illegally. Five of them face criminal charges, and at least two are reportedly linked to international gangs, though their identities remain unknown.
“There’s still a lot of questions,” said Fernando Soto, founder of Nuestro Estrado (Local Spanish News). “Why don’t we have the names and pictures of those high-level criminals that were announced?”
Racial Profiling Concerns
Many members of the Latino community feel that they were unfairly targeted. Tinoco, for example, said she felt like people of color were treated differently during the raid.
“People in front of me that didn’t look like me, their IDs were kind of just looked at quickly and they were let go,” she said. “But my ID was looked at by not one, but two agents with flashlights.”
This has left the community feeling unsafe. Soto said the raid has left many people scared to go out or even go to work. “We saw several businesses close on Sunday,” he added.
Advocates Step In for Support
As fear spreads throughout the community, advocates like Soto are working to connect impacted families with the necessary resources and ensure fair legal proceedings.
“We have a responsibility, due to the lack of language access across the state, to make sure people understand that they still have rights, and they can reach out to an attorney,” Soto said.
Charleston Legal Access, a local nonprofit, is one resource helping those affected by the raid. They are assisting individuals in locating detained loved ones and providing legal support to those who need it.
The Alamo Nightclub Shut Down
The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the Alamo Nightclub has been shut down permanently by County Code Enforcement. While the investigation is ongoing, the raid has left many in the local immigrant community fearful for their safety.
“This just went on to show that it’s happening in our own backyard,” Soto said.
