Trump Leverages Jail Contracts to Bypass Sanctuary Policies and Accelerate Deportations, Reveals New Report

A recent analysis by the Prison Policy Initiative underscores the Trump administration's role in facilitating mass deportations by covertly utilizing local jails, even in jurisdictions with sanctuary policies. The report, titled "Hiding in Plain Sight: How Local Jails Obscure and Facilitate Mass Deportation Under Trump," exposes how these facilities, through contracts with the U.S. Marshals Service, have become integral to Trump’s deportation tactics. Building on prior studies regarding the interplay between state incarceration and federal immigration enforcement, this document quantifies participation across all states and over 600 jails. The report highlights how the Trump administration circumvents local sanctuary laws via a loophole, transforming civil immigration issues into criminal cases. Consequently, local communities unwittingly contribute to deportation efforts. Despite ICE's reported daily average of 57,200 detainees, the actual figure, including various classifications, is estimated at roughly 83,400. The document advocates for counties to cease partnerships with federal immigration enforcement, asserting that local jails, intentionally or not, support a significant assault on immigrant rights.