York County sheriff: Trump immigration order hasn’t affected federal detainees

The York County Sheriff’s Office has one of just three jails in South Carolina that temporarily house federal immigration prisoners and screen arrestees for immigration status, but President Donald Trump’s immigration order has had no effect on the program, Sheriff Kevin Tolson said.

The York County Detention Center typically has around three dozen federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees housed for a few days at a time, Tolson said. York County handles those detainees on a federal contract that is a break-even financial deal, Tolson said.

The sheriff’s office is one of just 37 local law enforcement agencies in America that are part of what is called the 287g program, in which local police work with federal officials to screen all people arrested concerning immigration status.

The executive order Trump signed in late January potentially increased the role of local agencies that are part of the program, but Tolson said York County has seen no change.

“Right now, we haven’t had an impact on the jail population or the services we provide,” Tolson said.

In 2015, the sheriff’s office earned its second consecutive perfect score in the 287g program. More than 1,500 arrestees from more than 30 countries have been flagged and marked for eventual deportation by York County deputies since 2009.

Only people who are arrested for other crimes are screened for immigration status, Tolson said, and the service York County’s deputies provide is important to local, state, and national safety and security.

The York County jail is one of just three in South Carolina that meet strict federal guidelines for housing ICE prisoners in transit to immigration courts, said Freddie Arwood, jail administrator.

The inmates generally are in the York County jail for three or four days. The program that screens all people arrested on immigration status has dedicated offers who handle those functions, Arwood said.

Immigration concerns federally will not impact the staffing at the jail or services, Tolson said.

“We are not doing more with less; what we offer is at no extra cost to York County taxpayers,” Tolson said. “We are proud of our high rating and the services we can provide.”

This story was originally published February 7, 2017 at 5:14 PM with the headline "York County sheriff: Trump immigration order hasn’t affected federal detainees."