The Fight

Kandiyohi County has held ICE detainees for 22+ years under an IGSA — the longest such arrangement in Minnesota. The jail in Willmar designates approximately 150 of its 190 beds for ICE detainees. In May 2025, Sheriff Eric Tollefson signed a 287(g) WSO agreement, but the agreement has not been operationalized because officers have not been trained.

The Kandiyohi County Board has been publicly divided:

• The board chairman criticized the “cowboy” behavior of federal immigration agents
• Multiple commissioners spoke of citizens being “unjustly detained” and “kidnapped”
• The board discussed the 287(g) agreement for the first time in a public meeting after community pressure
• Approximately 100 people attended a vigil outside the Law Enforcement Center on November 21, 2025

The community dynamics are complex. Willmar is conservative but diverse, with significant immigrant communities essential to the local economy. The Star Tribune characterized the county as having “nuanced views on immigration.”

Why This Fight Matters

Kandiyohi is the economic paradox: the county profits from detaining immigrants while its economy depends on immigrant labor. The 22-year IGSA has embedded detention revenue deeply into county finances, making it harder to end than newer agreements.

The board division — with the chairman openly critical of ICE — creates a political opening that organizers in other counties lack. If the board votes to end or limit ICE cooperation, it would remove Minnesota’s largest ICE detention site by bed count.

The proposed state legislation (HF 3060/SF 2973) to ban county ICE contracts would directly impact Kandiyohi.

Sources

• Star Tribune: This conservative county houses more ICE detainees than any other in MN
• West Central Tribune: Three board members make statements on ICE
• West Central Tribune: Supporters call out to ICE detainees at jail
• West Central Tribune: Board discusses 287(g) for first time
• West Central Tribune: Community leaders discuss ICE contract with sheriff