SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – Chief Deputy with the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s office, Jeff Gromer, says the Minnehaha County jail is seeing an increase of those arrested by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), compared to last spring.
“We haven’t had to increase staffing any to to maintain the current rate,” Gromer said. “That’s where I talk about that ebb and flow of people coming in and getting discharged out. And those relatively low numbers that just continue to move through is easier for us to manage. The jails obviously has a set number of beds that we can hold as a maximum, and we’re staffed to that point.”
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In April, the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office was one of two counties that enrolled in the 287(g) program, which will allow local officers to partner with ICE.
“It’s primarily our jail staff working closer with ICE with the ability to serve the warrants, which basically prevents the ICE agent from having to come to our jail,” Gromer said. “ICE still does the paperwork, the jail staff aren’t making decisions on detainment.”Gromer says that training hasn’t started yet, but expects it to be an online course.
An ICE arrest at the Minnehaha County Courthouse resulted in a mistrial Friday that
Jurors and witnesses gathered inside the Minnehaha County courthouse for Cesar Ortiz Maestre’s trial, who is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon that resulted in someone getting shot in the leg in May of 2024.
However, that trial wouldn’t last long as the judge ruled a mistrial.
One of the defense witnesses who was subpoenaed to testify was arrested by ICE in front of several jurors as well as his wife and child, during a break. Maestre’s new trial is now set for September.
Regarding the ICE arrest at the courthouse, the CEO for South Dakota Voices for Peace, Taneeza Islam said in a statement to KELOLAND News.
“Immigrants are victims of crimes and witnesses for criminal investigations. When one of our immigrant victim clients came forward to report sexual abuse of a minor, the investigation led to 3 victims coming forward who were all sexually abused while they were under the age of 10. This abuse occurred over a 20 year period. If it wasn’t for our client coming forward and assurances from local law enforcement that there would be no fear of deportation, this predator would still be out there. The public needs to understand that these brazen acts of ICE arresting people while in courthouses will absolutely force victims and witnesses not to come forward with crimes occurring in our community. This makes us all unsafe- not just immigrant communities. This makes local law enforcement’s jobs even harder, because witnesses and victims will not come forward in fear of deportation.”
