Federal agents removed 60 illegal immigrants from the overcrowded Prince William County jail last week to address mounting concerns their delays were contributing to dire overcrowding at the Manassas facility.
The emergency response slashed in half the number of inmates awaitingremoval and will prevent jail officials from releasing inmates awaiting federal deportation proceedings, county officials told The Examiner.
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“I don’t think that’s going to happen, now,” Col. Peter Meletis, the jail superintendent, said Monday. “They came several days in a row and got 60 out of here. They’re cooperating and trying to help fix the problems.”
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are expected to remove another 36 inmates this week, said agency spokeswoman Ernestine Fobbs. ICE has picked up 75 inmates since a meeting with local officials April 3.
In addition, the agency will schedule twice-weekly pickups at the jail to avoid the lengthy delays, Fobbs said, adding “We’re going to be in communication at all times to resolve the situation.”
In a letter last month, the jail board chairman warned federal officials that if inmates were not removed immediately, inmates could be released as early as today, prompting the removals.
The emergency efforts reduced the overall jail population to 947 on Monday, Meletis said, well below its average daily population of more than 1,000 since December.
“They have been stepping up the pickups of the prisoners,” County Chairman Corey Stewart said. “We hope that will continue.”
Thealready-overcrowded jail entered into an agreement with ICE last summer to screen the legal status of inmates, but delays removing illegal immigrants caused major logistical challenges at the jail.
Despite the emergency fix, the issue will require more lasting solutions, officials said.
The federal government’s lack of detention space in the region and the unexpected speed with which corrections officers identified hundreds of illegal immigrants at the jail will continue to overwhelm capacity, officials said.
County officials are considering retooling the program at the jail to address only the most serious criminals and yield fewer deportations.
