ICE says Metro immigration stance makes residents ‘less safe’

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Steve Marcus

A holding cell is shown during a tour of the Clark County Detention Center Tuesday, July 23, 2013.

Thu, Oct 24, 2019 (3:05 p.m.)

Metro Police’s decision to cease cooperating with immigration authorities at the county jail will “only benefit criminals” and will “make Clark County residents less safe,” a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official said.

Citing a Sept. 27 federal court ruling, Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo suspended the so-called 287 (g) program that deputized a number of Clark County Detention Center officers to determine whether inmates are in the country illegally and hold them for ICE.

The ruling in California said ICE could not place holds on inmates in states without immigration statutes specifically authorizing the arrangement. Nevada has not passed such a statute.

Metro informed ICE on Tuesday of the suspension of the program.

Dana L. Fishburn, the ICE deputy field office director for Las Vegas, called the California ruling “irrelevant” and “an excuse to justify a decision that will impact the safety of our communities here in Nevada.”

The federal government is expected to appeal the ruling.

“ICE will continue to work cooperatively with our local partners to the extent they are willing to work with this agency,” Fishburn said in a statement. “We look forward to continued conversations with Clark County as to how cooperating with federal law enforcement is in the public’s best interest in our shared commitment to keeping the community safe.”

Metro said it would continue working with ICE to remove suspects in violent crimes but did not explain how.

“While the ruling can be seen as a setback, I am determined that through cooperation with our federal partners, the goal of removing the worst of the worst can still be accomplished,” Lombardo said in a statement.

Today, Las Vegas officials announced they would also suspended their agreement with ICE at the city jail, citing the same court ruling. The city jail houses only misdemeanor suspects.

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