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Roosevelt County updates detention policy on ICE/DHS detainers and hears jail operations report
Summary
The commission approved a policy requiring an active warrant to accompany any ICE or DHS detainer for the county jail to hold a detainee past release; detention staff also reported jail population, treatment programs, staffing changes and an out-of-county housing contract approved.
Roosevelt County commissioners on April 15 approved an update to the Roosevelt County Detention Center policy requiring an active warrant to accompany any ICE or Department of Homeland Security detainer before the facility will continue to hold a detainee beyond their ordered release date.
Detention Administrator Shayla Ramsey presented the policy change to the commission and stated the new standard: "the policy change now requires an active warrant to accompany any ICE or DHS detainer for the detention center to continue to hold any detainee after their ordered release date." Commissioner Tina Dixon moved to adopt the update and the motion passed unanimously.
Ramsey also reported operational statistics for March: the detention center housed 50 people (9 female, 41 male), including five out-of-county detainees; there were 58 bookings and 69 releases for the month and the center recorded 788 total jail days billed. Quay County was billed $3,125 for housing during the period.
Programs and staffing: five participants are enrolled in the medication-assisted treatment (MAT) program (all receiving group and individual counseling; one participant receiving medication) and five participate in yoga. One officer is graduating from the academy; three recent hires left for other law enforcement agencies but those vacancies have been filled and Ramsey reported there are currently no openings.
The commission also approved a contract with Vigil Maldonado Detention Center in Raton, N.M., for housing detainees as needed and approved other detention-related agreements during the meeting.
Why it matters: the detainer-policy change sets a local standard for when federal immigration detainers will extend custody at the county jail, aligning practical custody decisions with a requirement for an active warrant. The jail's operational update gives commissioners current population, program and staffing context for budgeting and accreditation planning.
The commission approved the policy and the housing contract by recorded unanimous votes; no further changes or appeals were recorded at the meeting.
