Residents renew weekly calls for Butler County to end ICE jail contract

Kathy Brinkman of Oxford told Butler County commissioners she and others have come every week to demand the county end its contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, saying the agreement does not reflect community values and harms the county's reputation. "Every week, we come to this meeting to ask you to end the ICE contract," Brinkman said.

Other speakers during a 90‑minute public‑comment block made moral and economic appeals and asked for greater budget transparency. Melinda Zemper of Westchester framed the issue as a moral one and urged termination of the contract, while Linda Snow Griffin of Fairfield Township asked specific budget questions: "Where in the budget does the money from ICE appear?" Griffin referenced a figure that Sheriff Jones has cited—"about $12,000,000 this year"—and asked whether those receipts are identifiable and how they are used.

Several speakers described community harms they attribute to the county's participation, including higher medical costs at the jail, disruption to families and neighborhoods and deterrence of tourism and international students. Linda Spurrier of Hamilton pointed to a reported $214,000 increase in jail medical costs year‑over‑year and asked the board to weigh economic and social consequences alongside any revenue. Karen Albrecht and others cited national figures about federal ICE spending to underscore the scale of immigration enforcement.

Not all public speakers urged cancellation. Edward Patrick of Westchester argued the contract contributes to public safety and urged the board not to terminate it, telling commissioners that many community members support continued participation.

In response to multiple requests for budgetary detail, a commissioner said the county's receipts from the sheriff's operations, including revenue tied to detainees, are deposited into the county general fund and are not itemized in the presentations viewers saw at last week's budget meeting. The commissioner said finance department staff or the county administrator could provide an exact figure if formally requested.

The public comment period concluded after the board's three‑minute time limit per speaker. The board did not take action on the ICE contract during the meeting; public comments were a request for policy change and transparency rather than a formal motion.

Next steps: commissioners did not announce a date to review or reconsider the county's contract with ICE during this session; members of the public said they would return in the new year to press the issue further.