Morehead State Public Radio | By Nadia Ramlagan, Public News Service
New data show that arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Kentucky are increasing and are expected to continue climbing.
Nearly 2,000 people were arrested by ICE in Kentucky between January and October of last year, according to the data. Most of the arrests occurred in jails or prisons, though about 25% took place at workplaces, residences, or in public areas.
Ashley Spalding, a senior fellow at the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, which reviewed the data, said the number of detainees has surged, with many local jails renting bed space to ICE.
“On average, the number of ICE detainees is at a historic high,” Spalding said. “We’re seeing these trends play out in Kentucky. There’s just no sign of it slowing.”
A recent Reuters-Ipsos poll found that nearly 60% of Americans believe federal immigration enforcement tactics have gone too far. Meanwhile, 12% said the actions have not gone far enough, and 26% said enforcement efforts were “about right.” This week, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear called for the retraining of all federal immigration officers following the killing of two Minneapolis residents by immigration agents.
Spalding added that amid the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts, some Kentucky lawmakers have introduced House Bill 47, which would remove local discretion on whether to cooperate with ICE.
“We’re also seeing bills proposed in our state legislature that would mandate state and local participation in these ICE partnerships,” Spalding said.
Nearly two dozen local law enforcement agencies in Kentucky have already entered into contracts with ICE. Supporters of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown argue the measures are necessary to improve public safety and prevent fraud in federal programs such as Medicaid and SNAP.
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