MN Sheriffs, Homan Nearing Plan For Drawdown On Immigration Authorities: Report

Border czar Tom Homan and the leader of the Minnesota Sheriffs’ Association are working on a deal that would see county jails cooperate with immigration authorities, potentially resulting in a drawdown of federal agents locally, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported Tuesday night.

The plan would allow county jails to keep immigration enforcement targets as long as 48 hours past scheduled release from state custody, according to the newspaper, which obtained documents with the terms and conditions of a basic ordering agreement.

The agreement stated county jails would give U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement “reasonable access to all detainees or inmates,” undercutting recent state practice while providing a legal workaround, the Tribune reported.

Sherffs’ association Executive Director James Stuart described the plan to the Tribune as “a very workable solution,” while Homan did not respond to the newspaper’s requests for comment.

The association issued a news release Tuesday evening in which it said it “continues to evaluate and support measures that strengthen safety, improve interagency communication, and enhance collaboration across all levels of government.”

“These discussions have centered on actions that ensure secure custody transfers, uphold the public trust, and prevent further unrest in our neighborhoods,” the news release said.

Immigration authorities’ prolonged and aggressive presence in the Twin Cities in recent months has led to rising tensions and clashes with the public that reached a fever pitch last month when protesters and U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti were shot and killed by federal agents.

“Public safety is strongest when collaboration is intentional, respectful, and built on shared purpose across all levels of government,” the association’s president, Steele County Sheriff Lon Thiele, said in the news release.

“Effective collaboration means leveraging each agency’s unique authorities and expertise while respecting local control and community expectations.”