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Beaufort County sheriff outlines how ICE detainers are handled, commissioners press on fingerprints and cost
Summary
Sheriff Scott Hammond told commissioners his office processed four ICE detainers in three years and described magistrate and fingerprinting steps under the new state law (House Bill 318); commissioners pressed on who determines immigration status, fingerprinting exceptions and county costs.
Sheriff Scott Hammond told the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners that his office has handled only four ICE detainers in three years and that the department follows a magistrate-driven intake process under recent state law reforms. "When they come in through the magistrate, we bring them into jail. We run the fingerprinting based on the charges," Hammond said, explaining that a federal flag on fingerprints triggers immigration inquiries.
Commissioners repeatedly questioned who makes the initial determination of immigration status and which offenses require fingerprinting. Hammond said fingerprinting follows statutory requirements and local practice: "If the law doesn't require fingerprinting, you don't fingerprint them," he said, noting that some high‑level misdemeanors do require prints but many nonfelony cases do not. He added the office does not go out looking for undocumented people: "We do not," he said, adding that deputies act on arrests rather than immigration enforcement.
The board also discussed the financial impact of detainers on county budgets. Commissioners noted the county bears jail costs pending adjudication. Hammond agreed, saying the county or state covers expenses "until the adjudications." Commissioners pressed how frequently detainers result in long county costs; Hammond reiterated the low volume locally but emphasized that costs and bond outcomes vary by case.
The sheriff and commissioners agreed that changes to state law or to magistrate practice would affect procedures. Hammond said the department will follow any statutory changes and noted that federal agencies decide whether to place detainers after receiving fingerprint flags. Commissioners asked staff to continue tracking detainer incidents and local fiscal impacts.
The meeting record shows questions and answers but no new local enforcement directive was adopted; commissioners instead asked staff and the sheriff to continue monitoring the process and to report further if legislative changes alter procedures or resource demands.
