“The Dayton Police Department is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all members of our community,” the statement says."
“We want to emphasize that our officers investigate crimes and assist victims regardless of an individual’s immigration status. Our priority is fostering trust and cooperation within our community to ensure everyone feels safe reporting crimes and seeking help when needed. The enforcement of federal immigration laws falls under the jurisdiction of federal agencies, not the Dayton Police Department. We encourage anyone in need to come forward without fear.”
This follows an incident where Sugarcreek Twp. police called ICE during a traffic stop, and ICE took two people into custody. Cincinnati city leaders, in contrast, have reportedly said that Cincinnati police will cooperate with ICE only when legally required.
Anyone taken into custody by Dayton police are booked at the Montgomery County Jail, which is run by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday it had made no change in its policy on handling suspects or inmates with questionable immigration status.
Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck said his office’s policy surrounding immigration violations has not changed: deputies’ primary job is enforcing state and local laws, and if they encounter someone committing a crime or traffic violation, they then take action.
Civil immigration violations don’t generally fall under the purview of deputies, however.
“If a foreign national is not violating a state or local law and a computerized records check doesn’t uncover an active warrant for their arrest, deputies don’t typically have the power to enforce civil immigration violations,” said Streck.
But if a person is booked into Montgomery County Jail and admits to being or is suspected of being undocumented, the sheriff’s office contacts ICE, which will then interview the inmate by phone and review his or her charges. From there, ICE will decide what action comes next, Streck said.
“None of this is new policy or the result of changes in the federal government,” Streck said.
Montgomery County Jail accepts people facing charges and even federal inmates, but it does not have a contract to hold civil immigration violations for ICE.
According to ICE, as of Wednesday, nearly 1,000 arrests have been made nationwide by the agency in a series of “enhanced targeted operations” geared toward the “expedited removal” of certain immigrants.
