Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson’s proposed partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents was seemingly shut down last week by the county’s Board of Commissioners.
In a statement shared Friday, four of seven commissioners expressed their opposition to Hanson’s proposal of using the county jail in Omaha to hold people detained by ICE.
“The true humanitarian choice is not to detain mothers, fathers and workers who have no criminal record; people who are essential to our local economy and part of the fabric that makes Nebraska strong,” Commissioners Roger Garcia, Chris Rodgers, Jim Cavanaugh and Brian Fahey wrote in the joint statement.
Hanson made humanitarian and financial arguments in support of an ICE detention contract in an open letter to the Douglas County Board Oct. 7. He referenced a June immigration raid on Glenn Valley Foods in Omaha that ended with dozens of workers detained.
Keeping detainees in a local facility would mean keeping them closer to their families, lawyers and support systems. They could also avoid hourslong transport across the state for legal proceedings, Hanson wrote.
Financially, the federal partnership would result in millions of dollars of revenue, potentially up to $6.5 million per year, according to Hanson’s letter.
Such a partnership would require the approval by the Douglas County Board of Commissioners, which oversees the county jail.
The commissioners’ statement argued that the total cost to hold someone in county jail is approximately $220 per day, which exceeds the $175 per diem contract that ICE is currently paying nearby counties.
“We fully support holding criminals accountable,” commissioners wrote. “Those involved in violence, trafficking, or drug crimes must face justice. However, we must also recognize and protect the neighbors who contribute to our shared prosperity and reflect the values we hold dear, such as faith, hard work and hope for a better future for their children.”