Residents tell commissioners they suspect court employees have shared information with ICE, urge nondiscrimination policy

During the public‑comment portion of the Nov. 5 meeting, resident Joyce Odstedt said she believes "one or more people who are employees of the courts are providing ICE with advanced information about foreign residents moving through the court system," and asked the commissioners to assist in mitigating that conduct and to consider adopting a nondiscrimination ordinance governing employee conduct.

Odstedt said she had submitted a Freedom of Information Act request earlier in the week about an Administrative Office of the Courts (AOPC) letter concerning local agencies' cooperation with ICE and sought follow‑up. Another resident in the audience said they "second everything that she said."

A commissioner advised the speakers to contact the court administrator, Cori Doherty, for court‑system concerns and offered to provide the court administrator’s contact information from the record. Commissioners did not vote or take formal action on the request at the Nov. 5 meeting; the item was raised during public comment and will require follow‑up if the board elects to investigate or propose a policy.

Separately, Lauren Butler, a public commenter, reiterated concerns about clarity on county policy for cooperating with ICE and expressed community fears about future lawsuits, and also urged prompt action on GIS upgrades given the county’s reliance on legacy software.