Mecklenburg County Sheriff Enhances Coordination with ICE for Immigration Enforcement

Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden recently met with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials to improve communication and coordination for immigration enforcement operations, emphasizing safety and transparency without reestablishing formal cooperation. The meeting was prompted by recent incidents involving ICE agents and aimed to establish clear procedures, including notifying the sheriff's office ahead of enforcement actions and sharing courthouse protocols. Following the meeting, a coordinated operation led to the arrest of one individual at the courthouse, demonstrating the intended improved partnership. McFadden, who ended the county's 287(g) partnership with ICE in 2018, stressed compliance with North Carolina's new immigration law requiring sheriffs to honor ICE detainers but stated his office would not exceed legal obligations. Meanwhile, Clermont County Sheriff's Office authorized deputies to assist ICE through a Memorandum of Agreement, enabling them to arrest and transport individuals on ICE warrants, reflecting broader regional collaboration with federal immigration authorities. This move follows similar efforts in Butler County, where deputies have been credentialed to make immigration arrests and the local jail houses a significant number of federal inmates.