U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released additional information Thursday on more unlawfully present foreign nationals facing serious criminal offenses in Mecklenburg County, who under the county’s ICE non-cooperation policy would currently be released back into the local community where they would be free to reoffend.
These are just the latest examples of unlawfully present aliens charged with serious public safety offenses in Mecklenburg County – yet these latest examples are still currently in local custody. These cases have all been identified by ICE to be illegal aliens subject to an ICE detainer and yet, per current local policy, they would be released back into the local community without notice to ICE.
However, as these persons remain in local custody, should Mecklenburg County reconsider its non-cooperation policy, there is still time to prevent the release of these individuals and instead work cooperatively to protect public safety.
“The only way a person is subject to an ICE detainer in Mecklenburg County is if they are handcuffed and arrested for a crime committed in the local community,” said Acting ICE Director Matt Albence. “The only persons protected by these misguided policies are criminals as the only way a person is subject to a detainer is if they’ve been arrested for a crime beyond anything to do with their immigration status.”
