ICE threatens Hennepin County sheriff with federal prosecution over access to inmates
Fact check: How many ICE detainers for MN inmates?
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has repeatedly claimed there are active ICE detainers for more than 1,360 Minnesota inmates. FOX 9's Corin Hoggard found that the number of noncitizens in Minnesota jails is closer to about 300.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Hennepin County Sheriff could face federal prosecution for not granting ICE agents broad access to inmates held in the county's jail.
READ MORE: Hennepin County Sheriff: ICE needs to 'follow the law'
ICE officials threaten to prosecute Hennepin County Sheriff Witt
Hennepin County Sheriff on ICE in Minnesota
Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt is reacting to the ICE surge in Minnesota.
Big picture view:
The New York Times reports that federal authorities sent letters threatening to charge Hennepin County Sheriff Dewanna Witt with witness tampering.
A similar threat was reportedly made to the Cook County Sheriff in Illinois, where Chicago and the largest jail in the Midwest is located.
The Hennepin County Sheriff Department's longstanding policy is to honor ice requests to take custody of inmates only if it is accompanied by a judicial warrant.
READ MORE: ICE detainer numbers in Minnesota don't add up: Surge fact check
Sheriff Witt responds to ICE threats
What they're saying:
Hennepin County Sheriff Dewanna Witt shared this statement in response to the New York Times article:
"Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office will continue to follow the law, the Constitution, and longstanding department policy. That has not changed. The letters do not change our legal obligations or our policies.
"We have a longstanding policy that requests from any agency to take custody of someone are honored when accompanied by a judicial warrant.
"Our responsibility is to ensure every action we take is supported by the law. Threats of prosecution will not cause me to abandon our legal responsibilities or disregard constitutional protections.
"My focus remains on doing my job lawfully and not responding to political pressure or intimidation.
"It should also be noted that some of the subpoenas were served on me after people were released from custody so it makes no sense for them to have served them in the first place."
Operation Metro Surge aftermath
Operation Metro Surge cost detailed
Minneapolis officials have estimated a total of the impact since Operation Metro Surge began, believe it to be in the hundreds of millions. FOX 9’s Maury Glover has the details.
The backstory:
Many communities and businesses are still feeling the impacts of Operation Metro Surge.
Minneapolis and St. Paul estimate their business losses at more than $300 million, but the impact stretches into greater Minnesota.
Operation Metro Surge led to widespread disruption for both businesses and schools. Livestock farmers lost employees, cutting into the supply chain for local processors. Many customers disappeared, and the ripple effects are still being felt as communities try to recover.
The Source: This story uses information gathered by the New York Times and a statement released by Hennepin County Sheriff Dewanna Witt.