BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) — PBSO will no longer hold people with questionable immigration status.
From the Sheriff’s Office:
Effective immediately, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office will no longer detain individuals with questionable immigration status based only on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) detainers absent additional judicial authority. An I.C.E. detainer is a request for a local jail to hold individuals up to 48 hours after the local charges have been resolved; it’s an agency request only.
Historically, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) detainers were viewed as “Mandatory”, requiring jails to honor them. However, recent directives by I.C.E. describe detainers as discretionary and there have been recent Federal Court decisions articulating the same. Therefore, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office will no longer honor the detainers absent judicial authority. PBSO will require Orders of Deportation or Warrants signed by a federal judge/magistrate, or other court related orders, to hold individuals beyond the time they would otherwise be released.
This decision comes after a long, thoughtful, and deliberate process that included meetings with the community activists group P.E.A.C.E and discussions with various legal counsels and I.C.E. Officials.
This decision in no way will affect the Sheriff’s Office commitment to securing our borders from the influx of illegal immigrants attempting to enter the U.S. illegally or the Human Trafficking associated with it.
