Treglia addresses misconceptions about immigration enforcement
May 21—LIMA — Allen County Sheriff Matthew Treglia refuted rumors that local law enforcement is not cooperating with immigration authorities amid the influx of Haitian migrants to Lima.
"The biggest misconception is assuming that they're here illegally when technically, they are here on two-year work visas and here legally and cannot be deported," Treglia told The Lima News.
Treglia offered the example of Gervens Justilien, a Haitian migrant charged with the March 10 murder of fellow migrant Chrislande Auguste. Both Justilien and Auguste were in the country legally on temporary work visas when Auguste died.
Migrants believed to be in the country illegally may be subject to detainers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which sends written requests or detainers asking local jails to hold migrants for an extra 48 hours after their release date so immigration authorities can take them into federal custody.
Treglia said the sheriff's office held a migrant on a detainer for ICE just last week.
"To say we're not doing our job would be misrepresented," Treglia said, noting that he recently met with Mayor Sharetta Smith and Lima Police Chief Angel Cortes to discuss immigration.
The recent influx of Haitian migrants to Allen County revived sanctuary city rumors.
Mayor Sharetta Smith has denied those rumors since she was chief of staff in 2017, when then-President Donald Trump issued an executive order denying federal funding to cities that protect undocumented immigrants from deportation or federal prosecution.
A city spokesperson repeated those denials last week.
"Lima, Ohio is not a sanctuary city and we in no way limit or impede the federal government's enforcement of immigration matters," Public Information Officer Jessica Begonia said via email. "We have no resolutions, executive orders or policies in place to suggest that we are a sanctuary city."
Treglia said most sheriffs wouldn't follow a city's sanctuary declaration anyway.
"I would say 90% of sheriffs are going to take their more conservative approach on it and say that city is in their county and they are not a sanctuary county," he said.
