Battleground Ohio: Hildenbrand Responds to ACLU “We’re not releasing anybody”

BY JEFF SKINNER 

GEAUGA - Last week the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, issued letters to multiple counties demanding the immediate release of detainees for Immigration Customers and Enforcement from sheriff departments under contract with the federal government for detention of said illegal immigrants. The ACLU argued that the contracts in question were not legal as they have not been authorized by the county commissioners. Today, Geauga County Sheriff Scott Hildenbrand has responded to provide clarification of the ongoing battle over immigration in the Heartland. 

Hildenbrand spoke with TOR to provide clarification over the current battle over the ICE contracts. According to Hildenbrand the issue is not as the ACLU is making it seem. Per Hildebrand, the initial contract from Geauga county was actually with the U.S. Marshall Services, which included an addendum relating to the detention of illegal immigrants for ICE. According to Hildenbrand, the county commissioners have, in fact, signed the contract, in direct contrast to the ACLU's allegation.

“They had originally requested a copy of the contract, per the contract with ICE, the ICE people are the only ones that can release any information,” Hildenbrand said. “They are saying we should release, our legal advice was not to release it, so they filed a lawsuit against us, so we are waiting for what the courts say. The contract is with the US Marshal service, the ICE is an addendum to that and I can tell you the county commissioners signed the original contract, we are researching the rest of it.”

Sheriff Hildenbrand is aware of the recent letter the ACLU sent out to multiple different counties, including Geauga, and has stated they have no intention of releasing any illegal immigrants currently being detained. 

“As of today we have 24 [detainees], I can tell you we are not releasing anybody,” Hildenbrand  said. 

According to Hildenbrand, the county has been working with ICE for nearly two decades under a contract that has been a net benefit for Geauga county, bringing in needed revenue and assisting the federal government in reducing the negative impact of illegal immigration. Geauga county has worked most closely with Seneca county, per Hildenbrand, and admits to some confusion over why the issues are suddenly a problem for the ACLU. 

“Both [Seneca and Geauga] have been housing ICE inmates for more than 20 years, we have been doing it without a problem now the ACLU claims there is a problem,” Hildenbrand said. 

According to Hildenbrand the county has seen a net decrease in detainees being held by the Sheriff’s office, which Hildenbrand speculates may be because more counties are entering into agreements with ICE to hold illegal immigrants on the path for deportation. Detainees are additionally moving faster through the system, perhaps in some part because of the increased action from ICE and other local departments.

“There has actually been a decrease [in number of detainees], It’s speculation, but our speculation is they are moving in and out a lot quicker, we are not holding them as long,” Hildenbrand said. All I can tell is the inmates ICE sends us has decreased over the last six months. There are more Sheriff offices involved in this now than there was before.”

At this time, the Geauga county Sheriff’s department has no plans to alter their course of action and are actively conferring with the county prosecutor to determine next steps as the court evaluates the ACLU’s case. According to Hildenbrand, the agreement has been long standing and represents a net benefit to the county and state as a whole.

“It’s a net positive for the county, generates revenue for the county and it assists the federal government with detaining individuals illegally in this country,” Hildenbrand said. “They have all committed some type of crime in addition to being in the country illegally. We are looking forward to the courts interpretation of the contract and we are more than happy to give them a copy of the contract, we have nothing to hide, we just don’t want to jeopardize the contract with ICE, it has been advantageous for us to house them, we have the room and it doesn't cost us any more money to do it and we have been doing it for 20 years.”