The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Nevada has initiated a lawsuit against the Metropolitan Police Department to obtain public records concerning federal immigration enforcement activities at the county jail. This legal action, filed in District Court, aims to enforce transparency under the Nevada Public Records Act.
The ACLU has been seeking records related to the department’s immigration policies since President Donald Trump took office. Despite repeated requests, they have faced delays and obstructions. The records in question involve the department’s voluntary 287(g) agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which allows Metro staff to enforce immigration warrants for foreign-born inmates. This agreement permits ICE to detain individuals for up to 48 hours after their release from local charges.
Before this agreement, Metro only flagged migrant inmates accused of serious offenses like violent crimes and DUIs. However, the list of offenses was expanded to include theft-related arrests under the Laken Riley Act, signed into law in January.
The ACLU’s lawsuit also addresses concerns about the classification of “foreign born,” arguing that the vague policy could lead to the wrongful detention of U.S. citizens and documented individuals. The Metropolitan Police Department has refrained from commenting on the pending lawsuit.
Sheriff Kevin McMahill has indicated that the 287(g) powers are unlikely to be frequently used, as ICE already conducts regular pickups at the jail. He assured that collaboration with ICE would remain confined to the jail, not extending to outside operations.
ICE has not been forthcoming about its enforcement activities in Southern Nevada and has not updated its regional arrest data since December. Metro has similarly denied requests for information about the number of inmates flagged for ICE, citing confidentiality.
A recent report from the Deportation Data Project revealed that ICE made 940 arrests in Nevada from January to mid-June, marking a significant increase compared to the previous year. The ACLU asserts that Nevada residents deserve transparency regarding local police cooperation with ICE.