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News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Jon Collins, 612-919-5918

Errors lead ICE to suspend Declined Detainer Outcome Report for week 4

April 11, 2017 (MINNEAPOLIS) – The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office has been advised by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Regional Field Office Director Scott Baniecke that ICE will not publish a Declined Detainer Outcome Report for the week of February 18 - 24, 2017 due to a pattern of significant errors and inaccuracies from reports issued in weeks one through three (January 28 - February 17, 2017).

Last month after the first ICE report was issued, Sheriff Rich Stanek and County Attorney Mike Freeman detailed the Sheriff’s Office policies and practices related to the detention of undocumented residents in Hennepin County, explained the Constitutional restrictions, and highlighted inaccuracies within the report.

They pointed out the two Hennepin County inmates included in the list of “Declined Detainers” section of the week one report were both in fact picked up and detained by ICE immediately upon their release from the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Jail.  

“If a picture is worth a thousand words, this one is worth two thousand,” said Sheriff Stanek. “These two instances demonstrate that the Sheriff’s Office cooperated with ICE to the fullest extent of the law. In fact, we call ICE every time we learn that an inmate of interest to them is being released.” 

In the week three report, ICE served 15 Detainer Requests to the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office. Of the 15, only four were picked up by ICE, one was transferred to another County, eight were released to the street because ICE elected not to pick them up, and one is still in custody facing 1st Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct charges. 

“The statistics from our agency are quite convincing. ICE is creating a sanctuary for criminals in Hennepin County. Even when they notify our agency that an inmate is of interest to them, ICE agents pick up only about one-third of the inmates they ask us to detain,” said Sheriff Stanek. "We have examples of ICE not picking up inmates with a "Final Order of Removal", a history of violent crime or dozens of arrests, and even inmates who have been in ICE custody several times before."

In addition to the 15 Detainer Requests to the Sheriff's Office during the week three reporting period, an additional inmate was referred to in error. The inmate and detainer listed in the “Declined Detainers” section referred to a detainer served to the Sheriff's Office in 2016, more than six months prior to the reporting period.

On March 30, Sheriff Stanek and several other Sheriffs traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet with Acting Under Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security Chip Fulghum and Executive Associate Director for ICE Philip Miller to express their concerns. The Sheriffs re-affirmed that their agencies cooperate with all law enforcement partners, including ICE, to the fullest extent of the law and the United States Constitution. Fulghum and Miller both committed to a thorough review of ICE field office reporting. 

“It is frustrating when the public is misled about the work of our local Sheriff’s Offices; as elected officials we have no alternative but to publicly set the record straight,” said Sheriff Stanek. “The men and women who work for the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office take great pride in their duties, and that includes enforcing the law while also following it. They deserve an apology; but suspending the inaccurate reporting is the next best thing.”

- HCSO –

Look for more news on the Hennepin County Sheriff's website at http://www.hennepinsheriff.org.