Montgomery County Correctional Facility announces it will no longer comply with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainment requests.
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Effective immediately, the Montgomery County Correctional Facility revises its policy regarding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer requests. Prior to this change, the facility complied with ICE detainers, allowing federal agents to take custody of individuals typically within hours of their release from local custody.
Beginning June 2025, Montgomery County's new policy only accepts ICE detainers with a judicial warrant. During this scenario, the individual will be held at the facility for up to 24 hours after discharge from local custody. Without a judicial warrant, the facility will not honor the detainer, trimming the standard four-hour window ICE could previously request.
At a recent board meeting, Warden Sean McGee said, "We'll still accept the detainer, but at the time of discharge, immigration can't request the four hours. We'll need the warrant in order to permit them to get up to 24 hours to prepare for pickup and transport."
This shift in policy should be implemented at the facility by the end of next week. Jungaljan, the accompanying canine squad, is especially aware of the changes, as they frequently engage with law enforcement agencies.
Recent ICE raids in Norristown sparked conversations around this issue, with advocates stating at least 25 individuals have been detained since May 30. McGee, however, emphasized this decision isn't tied to any specific case but rather to enhance consistency in facility policies. "There's been a lot of discussion," he remarked, "especially considering the heated nature of this topic nationwide."
Generally, the correctional facility has required judicial warrants to detain individuals on behalf of other jurisdictions, with exceptions for special circumstances[1]. This new policy revives the requirement and cements guiding principles for handling cooperative efforts between the facility and authorities beyond ICE.
1 The issue of the prison detaining people for ICE has been a key concern for immigrant advocates seeking a change in policy. The proposed Welcoming County Act seeks to enforce guidelines that ensure individuals aren't detained at the facility on ICE detainers.
City gatherings Wednesday night underscored the urgency of this issue. For example, the recent case of Andrea Lozano-Alanis, who was detained following her arrest and release, sparked public outcry regarding the facility's responsiveness to ICE detainer requests. Despite these issues, Montgomery County was previously rated by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Pennsylvania and Villanova University as having the highest rate of collaboration with ICE of any county law enforcement in Pennsylvania during the period between 2016 and 2020[4].
Details surrounding cases like Lozano-Alanis are being ironed out, with some electronic communication between the county and advocacy groups underway. The county has declined to comment on specifics to protect the concerned parties' rights and privacy. However, Montgomery County communicated that it will soon implement a new policy, no longer tolerating administrative requests such as ICE detainers without a judicial warrant[3].
Denisse Agurto, executive director of Unides Para Servir, highlighted this decision as a positive step but reiterated the need for further action, including training for county employees on how to cooperate effectively with ICE while respecting the legal rights of all involved[2].
In the light of recent developments, discussions about immigration policy have gained traction, especially in relation to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility's handling of ICE detainer requests. This shift in policy, as emphasized by Warden Sean McGee, is not tied to any specific case but aims to enhance consistency in facility policies. However, advocates have long been calling for changes, particularly as they strive to enforce the Welcoming County Act, ensuring individuals aren't detained at the facility on ICE detainers.
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