Sheriff says jail has no room for ICE detainees

Federal immigration officials have asked Ozaukee County Sheriff Christy Knowles to house detainees awaiting deportation, but Knowles said this week the county jail does not have room to take them.

“I cannot accept any ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) detainees with a criminal record as U.S. Marshal Service inmates and state Department of Corrections inmates are my first priority and my jail is full,” she said in an email. “I do not plan on limiting the inmates we board from either of these agencies.”

In February, the jail housed an average of 207 inmates every day, about 80% of the jail’s capacity.

Of those, about 37 were state or federal prisoners.

The county is paid by the state and federal governments to house those inmates.  In February, the program generated almost $80,000 in revenue for the jail.

Knowles said she prefers to keep the jail at 85% capacity or less to allow room for movement due to classifications, medical needs, mental health needs, disciplinary issues as well as other issues.

The boarding program was revived in 2023 after it was shut down during the pandemic in early 2021.

Knowles said there has been no change in the number of contacts her office has had with illegal immigrants since President Trump took office.

“Really, nothing has changed for us. We do have to be cognizant of immigration warrants which may be more prevalent. However, we have not seen these warrants with the subjects we have been in contact with,” she said.

“My deputies continue to provide the same enforcement procedures with this administration as with the last administration,” she said. “As of yet, the Sheriff’s Office has not seen a change in the detention of illegal immigrants at our jail.”

Knowles said they have one person in custody on local charges for whom ICE issued a warrant.

“A warrant was issued by ICE for him after he was in custody and once he completes his local sentence, ICE will be notified to pick him up. This is the same process we have had in the past,” she said.

Federal law enforcement officials have not asked her to keep the person beyond his release date.

“The Ozaukee County Jail has not been asked to hold anyone in our custody past their release date,” she said.

Knowles said her department does not actively seek out illegal immigrants or ask for proof of citizenship during traffic stops and other encounters.

“Deputies do not investigate U.S. citizenship,” she said. “That is a responsibility of the federal government. However, if ICE has a criminal immigration warrant in the system issued for a subject in our custody, we will hold the subject for ICE.”