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Residents urge Butler County commissioners to end ICE contract; multiple speakers cite legal and humanitarian concerns
Summary
A series of public commenters urged the board to end Butler County’s contract with ICE, describing alleged mistreatment, constitutional concerns and local impacts; speakers asked the commissioners for written clarification of sheriff oversight and for the board to consider terminating the contract.
Multiple residents used the board’s public-comment period to press the Butler County commissioners to end the county’s contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and to question local detentions of noncitizens.
Ellen Price of Oxford reviewed state bills she said would expand local enforcement duties and argued the proposals would damage community trust in local police, saying that mandating cooperation would “risk damaging the confidence that residents have in their local officers.” Patrick Mead urged the board to “end the county's contract with ICE,” calling the arrangement unconstitutional and urging local leadership to act. Linda Snow Griffin recounted a local case she said showed ICE detaining an asylum applicant after a traffic stop and described the personal harm that followed.
Giselle Kohler criticized national media framing of immigrants and cited a whistleblower allegation that ICE training had been cut from months to 47 days. Mike Miller, citing a television program that featured the county jail, raised concerns about overcrowding at the Court Street Jail and noted many detainees are held for ICE rather than being Butler County residents. Larry Kreps asked for a written explanation of the board’s authority over the sheriff and potential taxpayer liability tied to ICE operations and related lawsuits; the chair and Administrator Boiko agreed to provide a written response. Several speakers explicitly urged the commission to end the ICE contract so sheriff resources could focus on local public safety.
Commissioners acknowledged the public comments and committed to follow up: Commissioner Dixon said he would speak again with the county engineer about other matters and Administrator Boiko agreed to provide an email response and a written explanation about sheriffs’ authority and related liabilities requested by a resident.
