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Chair says ICE detention contract remains in effect; county received payments
Summary
A member of the public asked whether the county is still accepting ICE detainees. The chair said the county's ICE contract "has been a 20 year agreement," operations have not changed, and the county has received payments (including interest on back payments).
A resident asked county leaders whether the jail is still taking Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees and whether levels had changed.
The chair replied, "our ICE contract is is has been a 20 year, agreement. Nothing's changed, in terms of our operation with ICE," and said the county has continued to receive payments for services, including some interest on back payments. The chair also noted that the recent federal government shutdown disrupted reimbursements across agencies, which affected timing of payments to the county.
The exchange took place during public comments when a resident identified in the meeting record as Susan asked, "Are we still taking in ICE people?" The chair said prior concerns from six to eight months earlier had "died down" and characterized the contract and operations as continuing.
County officials framed the fiscal context for the program by noting the local budget is largely revenue-driven and that federal reimbursement delays caused by the government shutdown strained that revenue stream; they said payments have resumed.
The commission did not take further public action or vote on the ICE contract during the meeting. No statutes, contract text, or dollar figures for the ICE arrangement were cited in the public session.
