Immigration
As part of the Unite & Rise campaign, LWVKY seeks evidence that Kentucky facilities that detain people for ICE (Immigration & Customs Enforcement) provide dignity and due process to the people being held. In seeking that evidence, we continue our active pursuit of transparency from the Kentucky government. Based on what we learn, we may take advocacy steps consistent with LWV and LWVKY policy and issue positions. At the heart of this work is a focus on the humanity of those being detained and a commitment to building and sustaining American institutions, practices, and laws that respect that humanity.
New release:
Kentucky Jails Working With ICE:
A Call For Accountability
-September 8, 2026
This report documents five main points from the League’s analysis so far:
Twelve Kentucky jails are being paid to house people in ICE custody, and most of those people have no criminal convictions.
More than sixty Kentucky jails have voluntarily placed ICE holds on people arrested locally.
Two Kentucky jails have ICE 287(g) partnerships, as do more than fifty local law enforcement agencies.
Kentucky jails’ inmate lists vary widely. Some are clear about individuals’ ICE status. Others are less clear, and several are deliberately hiding names of people they have locked up for ICE.
Most Kentucky jails that provide ICE custody are overcrowded because of their federal roles.
The League of Women Voters of Kentucky calls for county government action:
We ask all jails that are working with ICE to provide fully transparent inmate lists and provide evidence that the human rights and dignity of those in custody are being respected. LWVKY has addressed letters to officials in 13 counties where we have documented how individuals are held in jail for ICE custody or ICE holds.
Read the letters from LWVKY below. Is one of these counties yours? Join us in demanding accountability!
How did we get here?
Read the first two reports in this series:
Initial Report
ICE Detention In Kentucky
-September 2025-February 2026
Our initial review of publicly available data found:
Over 1,000 people held for ICE in Kentucky county jails.
The ICE detainee count had grown rapidly, with only 28% identified as having a criminal charge. (Typically, nearly 100% of people in jail have a criminal charge.)
ICE detainees were not included in some jails’ public inmate lists.
ICE detainees were being held in some severely overcrowded jails.
Follow Up Report
Immigrant Detention in Kentucky Jails:
Who’s In Charge and What to Ask Them.
-May 2026
Our second report moved from data to direct action. We identified three sets of elected county officials who have the authority to answer for these conditions, and we provided a guide with questions you, as a concerned citizen, should be asking them. You can still ask questions and tell us what you learn!
