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Residents urge Butler County to stop housing ICE detainees; commissioners ask administrator to seek more information
Summary
Multiple residents criticized the county's practice of housing Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees at the Butler County Jail and asked commissioners for more transparency about contracts and detainee records; commissioners agreed to ask the county administrator for additional information.
Several Butler County residents used the public‑comment period on July 29 to press the Board of County Commissioners to stop holding Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees at the Butler County Jail and to provide more transparency about who is being held and why.
Beverly Wetter, who identified herself as a lifelong Butler County resident, said she found a social‑media post from the sheriff mocking detainees unacceptable: "These people are being torn away from their jobs. Their lives are being upended, and he thinks it's a joke. He has no compassion," Wetter said.
Jennifer Richardson of Westchester said she was "dismayed" at the jail’s use as an ICE facility and asked when the county’s contract with ICE ends and who benefits financially. "When does the contract with ICE...for the Butler County Jail end, and who benefits financially from this contract personally?" Richardson asked.
Ann Janssen of 7 Mile, who said she received a 69‑page report listing ICE detainees since February, asked the county to provide additional information about why each person was held. "There is no indication of why each of these persons is being or was being held. I request that additional information if possible by your next meeting," Janssen said, citing concerns that many detainees have no criminal records.
Anne Brown of Hamilton said she feared reputational harm and urged the board to reconsider. "Only six facilities in Ohio are doing it. We're the biggest. We don't need to be known for this," Brown said.
Commissioner Carpenter thanked speakers and said the county prosecutor had requested advisory guidance from the attorney general. Carpenter told residents the county administrator would look into whether the board can provide additional detainee information and explanatory detail about arrest warrants and the contractual arrangements with ICE.
Why it matters: residents described the practice as harmful and asked for public records and transparency on detainee status and the county's contractual relationship with ICE. Commissioners did not announce a change in policy but agreed to seek additional information.
