South Carolina aims to stop the federal government from placing unaccompanied migrant children here.

Gov. Henry McMaster has told the SC Department of Social Services to accept no undocumented children from the southern border into foster care or group homes.

The governor’s order came after correspondence with DSS on the state child welfare system’s capacity to accept a flood of minors.

In a letter April 8, DSS Director Michael Leach told the governor about federal inquiries to bring an unknown number of unaccompanied migrant children to South Carolina.

Federal officials have been reported placing migrant children in homes in other states.

Fearing the ultimate displacement of the most vulnerable children in an al ready-strained system, the governor told Leach: “South Carolina’s children must always be given 1st priority for placement in foster care.

“The state’s strained resources must be directed to addressing the needs of its children.”

The governor asked DSS to:

• Determine potential risks posed to the state’s child welfare system.

• Provide him with potential ways to deal with them.