Chief Deputy John Lowes releases data on illegal immigrant arrests

Chief Deputy John Lowes of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office has released statistical data regarding the number of arrests in Hamilton County of illegal immigrants and the impact of non-U.S. citizen arrests within the county.

The data reflects the number of Hamilton County Jail bookings and the types of crimes committed by individuals without legal status, highlighting concerns related to public safety and law enforcement resources.

According to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, over the past year, there have been 595 bookings involving individuals identified as illegal immigrants or non-U.S. citizens. These arrests include a range of criminal offenses, including but not limited to the examples below:

• Sex Offenses: eight cases
• Drug Offenses: 48 cases
• Weapon Offenses: 14 cases
• Assault / Intimidation: 46 cases
• Burglary/ Shoplifting / Larceny: 50 cases

“This data underscores the need for strong law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities to ensure public safety in Hamilton County,” Lowes said. “We remain committed to enforcing the law equally and ensuring that all individuals who commit crimes are held accountable, regardless of their immigration status.”

Lowes emphasized the importance of continuing proactive policing efforts, intelligence-sharing with federal agencies, and community engagement to address concerns surrounding crime and public safety.

“While the majority of our residents are law-abiding citizens, we cannot ignore the challenges posed by criminal activity among non-U.S. citizens,” Lowes said. “Our priority remains keeping Hamilton County safe, and we will continue to work diligently to uphold the law and protect our community.”

The 287(g) program is a collaboration between ICE and local law enforcement agencies, authorizing designated jail officers to perform limited immigration law enforcement functions only within the confines of the county’s detention facilities. This is a jail-based program. It applies to illegal aliens who commit crimes and then are booked into the Hamilton County Jail.

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County Jail Bookings, 2024
Total Bookings:                        6,012
Non-US Citizens                         595
ICE Detainers                                77
Misdemeanor Charges              585
Felony Charges                            161

County Jail Bookings, 2023
Total Bookings:                       5,664
Non-US Citizens                         373
ICE Detainers                                45
Misdemeanor Charges               355
Felony Charges                            122

County Jail Bookings, 2022
Total Bookings:                        5,161
Non-US Citizens                         256
ICE Detainers                                18
Misdemeanor Charges              258
Felony Charges                             86

County Jail Bookings, 2021
Total Bookings:                       4,964
Non-US Citizens                          173
ICE Detainers                                 18
Misdemeanor Charges                161
Felony Charges                              55

County Jail Bookings, 2020
Total Bookings:                       4,550
Non-US Citizens                         187
ICE Detainers                               37
Misdemeanor Charges              181
Felony Charges                            64

Notes on statistics

• These statistics include individuals arrested by various law enforcement agencies.
• The number of arrests may include repeat offenders.
• Individuals are often charged with more than one crime during an arrest, so the number of arrestees generally does not match the total number of misdemeanor and felony charges.