Dubuque County sheriff defends decision to not sign ICE agreement

Dubuque County Sheriff Joe Kennedy explained to the Board of Supervisors Monday morning his decision to not sign an agreement with U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement to do immigration enforcement work locally. Kennedy said the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Department would need more personnel to satisfy the directives in a memorandum of understanding that ICE officials requested be signed and the agreement would require federal immigration inmates to be housed at the already-stressed Dubuque County jail. Kennedy also elaborated on the ways his department already cooperates with ICE and said law enforcement will continue to do so, without the requested agreement. Supervisors Ann McDonough and Harley Pothoff said they understood Kennedy’s reasons for not signing the agreement, deferring to his authority as an elected official to make the call. Supervisor Wayne Kenniker said that he had spoken with an ICE official about the matter and that he wanted more information about language in the agreement.