Sheriffs Say They Need to be Notified When Undocumented Inmates are Released

The Illinois Sheriffs Association is pushing back on a law passed in 2017 that prevents law enforcement from arresting or detaining someone based solely on their immigration status.

Kankakee County Sherriff Mike Downey says they used to be notified by the Illinois Department of Corrections when undocumented citizens were released from prison. Before release they would go and pick them up and further hold them at a detention center in Kankakee. Downey says they used to pick up those inmates after they were transferred to the Pontiac Correctional Facility. About a month ago they learned they are no longer being told when undocumented inmates are being let go after serving their time. He says the Pritzker Administration needs to continue to notify them.

Last year Kankakee County picked up 223 former inmates and held them for ICE. In 2018 the county was paid almost a million dollars to house those former prisoners before they were to face ICE hearings.