Court moves suit for ICE records with Ohio county forward

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(The Center Square) – The Ohio Supreme Court said Wednesday it wants to see evidence and briefs on whether the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office can keep records secret of its relationship with U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement and other federal agencies.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio sued in May for communications and records relating to the contract between the sheriff’s department and ICE officials after local officials refused to turn over the information.

ACLU-Ohio believes the records are public under Ohio’s public records law.

“This case is part of a broader pattern, and we are gratified that the Supreme Court of Ohio has decided that it will move forward,” Amy Gilbert, senior staff attorney for the ACLU of Ohio, said in a statement. "Now we are eager for the Court to take the next step and confirm that government officials cannot skirt their legal duty to provide information in a lawful and timely manner. Ohio public records law is clear: these records belong to the public. The ACLU of Ohio is proud to serve as a watchdog for government transparency, and we will continue to hold Geauga County accountable."

The suit against Geauga County is one of two similar cases filed by ACLU-Ohio this year.

ACLU-Ohio filed a lawsuit with the Ohio Supreme Court after Seneca County Sheriff Fredrick Stevens refused to release the same information.

The Seneca County Sheriff’s Office entered into a partnership with ICE as a detention facility and offers specialized training programs for deputies.

It’s been an ICE facility for 25 years, holding people waiting on immigration proceedings. The federal government pays the county for each person held at the facility.

Stevens said the information is federal records and subject to federal open records laws and not state disclosure laws.