Butler County Sheriff Mike Slupe is offering more information on the agreement his office has with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, better known as ICE.
His office signed an agreement that could see sheriff deputies help in ICE enforcement operations in the county.
“We’ll have contact with ICE and work under their direction. I’ve made it clear, that if it’s an illegal person that has legal paperwork for their arrest or detention, then we’ll participate in apprehending that person,” Slupe said.
Slupe said he also needs certain information from ICE in order to help with immigration enforcement.
The agreement, which was approved last month, led to multiple speaking out in opposition at Wednesday’s county commissioner meeting.
“They said we would be going after criminals, gang members, and those sort of people. Instead, we’re going after laborers, restaurant workers, and people like that,” Lalonde said.
Some said they weren’t sure why the agreement wasn’t brought up in a public meeting. Slupe said that he consulted with his office’s solicitor, Tom King, who believed that since it was an agreement, opposed to a contract, Slupe had the authority to enter into it without commissioner approval.
During the meeting, Democratic County Commissioner Kevin Boozel said he had not seen the agreement. Republican commissioners Leslie Osche and Kim Geyer did not offer any comment on the agreement, other than saying it was discussed at a prison board meeting.
Slupe said the agreement is a standard document issued by ICE, and is not a specific document related to Butler County. He also added that all three commissioners received an email containing the agreement.
“Honestly the agreement is a nationwide agreement. The agreement gives me the ability to do what I want to do, or not do. I have a lot of flexibility on this,” Slupe said.
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