Overview

Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones has made his county the most aggressive ICE enforcement partner in Ohio. The Butler County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) holds both IGSA (bed space) and 287(g) agreements with ICE, and has been the primary detention site for Operation Buckeye arrests. The county jail in Hamilton has housed nearly 2,000 ICE detainees in 2025 and made over $14 million from its federal detention contract.

Key Details

• Revenue: Over $14 million in 2025; BCSO expects $20 million in 2026
• Per-diem rate: Increased from $68 to $105/day; transport fee from $36 to $47 (November 2025)
• 287(g) agreements: Both Jail Enforcement Model and Task Force Model contracts; signed Nov 6, 2025
• Trained deputies: 33 deputies trained for ICE enforcement (started with 10)
• ICE funding: $790,050 for Unaccompanied Alien Children initiative, $175,025 general (vehicles + deputies), $80,000 additional enforcement = $1M+ in ICE grants
• Operation Buckeye: Held nearly all of the ~280 immigrants arrested in December 2025 Columbus raids
• Conditions complaints: Reports of detainees in freezing temperatures, denied contact with families, denied religious observance, prompting state legislation (HB detention standards bill, 2026)
• Controversy: “The Hispanic community is being targeted” — immigration advocates note traffic stops as deportation pipeline entry point

Sources

• Butler County deputies now authorized to make immigration arrests under ICE program - WCPO
• Butler County Sheriff’s Office explains ICE contract - Journal-News
• Ohio sheriff says local partnerships with feds on immigration ‘starting to ramp up’ - PBS News
• 3 Ohio sheriff’s departments ink 287(g) agreements - Statehouse News Bureau (May 20, 2025)
• ICE paid Ohio prisons over $13.2 million - WDTN
• Greater Cincinnati counties working with federal immigration enforcement - WVXU (Feb 13, 2026)