Strafford County sheriff reports rise in federal detainees, coordinates with ICE and U.S. Marshals

Sheriff (name not specified) told the Strafford County Board of Commissioners that the county jail’s in-custody population had risen and that staff have submitted requests to increase bed capacity available to the U.S. Marshals Service and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“We have exchanged ideas via email about some of the proposed legislation as it relates to immigration,” the Sheriff said, and reported that the county had submitted formal requests — with assistance from finance staff Diane Legere — for increases to the number of detainees federal partners could place. The sheriff described the population as consisting in part of low-custody offenders held for immigration matters and said the county has historically relocated individuals to the southern border or other federal processing locations rather than deporting them directly from county facilities.

The sheriff said county staff were preparing internal changes to provide additional bed space over the coming days if needed and that the county had received multiple media inquiries from local outlets including CBS Boston, the Boston Globe and the Concord Monitor. He said he had been contacted by the Brazilian consulate about three Brazilian nationals in custody; one reported a skin issue, another tooth pain and a third a cold cell; the sheriff said he had verified temperatures and discussed the medical checks with the health unit.

Transportation logistics were discussed: county staff said adding processing space inside the facility for ICE could reduce off-site transports to Manchester or Burlington, saving transport costs and reducing exposure risk. The sheriff described a recent minor vehicle crash involving a transport van on I-95; no injuries were reported and the van remained usable.

Officials said they have worked to reduce transports by supporting in-facility appearances, citing prior efforts to host a Boston immigration court appearance on-site to avoid moving detainees. The sheriff said federal agencies are evaluating the county’s requests and that county staff would continue to coordinate with them.

Why this matters: An increase in federal detainees affects jail capacity, staffing needs, transport logistics and public communications. The county’s steps to provide processing space and to coordinate with federal partners may change transportation patterns and operational risk.

What was not decided: The meeting recorded discussion and staff updates; no formal policy change or binding agreement with federal agencies was recorded in the public transcript.