Washington County sheriff describes renewed ICE activity, fentanyl seizures and jail programs at Republican women meeting

Sheriff Nate Brooksby told members of the Washington County Republican Women on March 18 that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has resumed active operations in the county and that his office has been notifying ICE of people booked into jail; he said ICE was removing about 60 people per week.

Brooksby, who identified himself as the county sheriff, said the resumption of deportations follows federal changes and that Washington County is coordinating with ICE while the county also works to secure deputized authority under the federal 287(g) program to help place immigration-related holds on inmates. "Two days after inauguration, I'm on the phone with our localized guy... the following Saturday night about 09:30, I get a call from ICE and they said we've got the green light," Brooksby said. "It's about 60 a week."

Why it matters: Brooksby's comments describe how local law enforcement and federal immigration operations intersect in Washington County and explain changes that affect who remains in county custody and which detainees are referred to federal authorities.

Brooksby gave an overview of the sheriff's office operations, saying the department employs 193 people, with about two-thirds working in jail…