Data on Local Illegal Immigrant Arrests Released
Chief Deputy John Lowes of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office has released statistical data regarding the number of arrests in Hamilton County of illegal immigrants and the impact of non-U.S. citizen arrests within the county. The data reflects the number of Hamilton County Jail bookings and the types of crimes committed by individuals without legal status, highlighting concerns related to public safety and law enforcement resources.
“This data underscores the need for strong law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities to ensure public safety in Hamilton County,” Lowes said. “We remain committed to enforcing the law equally and ensuring that all individuals who commit crimes are held accountable, regardless of their immigration status.”
According to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, over the past year, there have been 595 bookings involving individuals identified as illegal immigrants, or non-U.S. citizens. These arrests include a range of criminal offenses, including but not limited to the examples below:
- Sex Offenses – 8 cases
- Drug Offenses – 48 cases
- Weapon Offenses – 14 cases
- Assault / Intimidation – 46 cases
- Burglary/ Shoplifting / Larceny – 50 cases
Lowes emphasized the importance of continuing proactive policing efforts, intelligence-sharing with federal agencies, and community engagement to address concerns surrounding crime and public safety.
“While the majority of our residents are law-abiding citizens, we cannot ignore the challenges posed by criminal activity among non-U.S. citizens,” Lowes said. “Our priority remains keeping Hamilton County safe, and we will continue to work diligently to uphold the law and protect our community.
The 287(g) program is a collaboration between ICE and local law enforcement agencies, authorizing designated jail officers to perform limited immigration law enforcement functions only within the confines of our detention facilities. This is a jail-based program. It applies to illegal aliens who commit crimes and then are booked into the Hamilton County Jail.
The following statistics from the Hamilton County Jail support the need for participation in the 287(g) program to keep Hamilton County safe, according to the Sheriff’s Office. This collaboration with ICE allow law enforcement to better identify illegal criminal aliens within the jail, and then, if eligible, remove them from the community.