Idaho Lawmen Continue ICE Holds in County Jails

Posted By George Prentice on Sat, Aug 30, 2014 at 10:00 AM

A number of Idaho sheriffs say they're bucking a national trend to end the practice of holding immigrant inmates even though their regular jail sentence has ended.

This morning's Twin Falls Times-News reports that Magic Valley lawmen network with jails throughout Idaho, and they don't see the immigration holds a problem.

The practice is triggered by requests from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. Those federal agents often ask county sheriffs to keep non-citizens in their custody for an additional 48 hours, even though their regular jail time is up. But a growing number of county sheriffs around the country have ended the practice.

However, a review of Magic Valley sheriff's departments indicates that ICE holds continue to be the status quo. In fact, as of last Thursday, eight inmates were being held in the Jerome County Jail as ICE. As the inmates are held, ICE determines whether it wants to release the detainees or send them to deportation proceedings.

The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse indicates that 81 people have been deported through the federal court system in Boise so far this year.

http://www.boiseweekly.com/CityDesk/...n-county-jails