Las Vegas Las Vegas Department of Public Safety

The Reality of Police-ICE Collusion in the City of Las Vegas

Documentation obtained from the City of Las Vegas Department of Public Safety

The following documentation was obtained from the City of Las Vegas Department of Public Safety via a January 31, 2019 open record request by Arriba Las Vegas Worker Center and the National Day Laborer Organizing Network. 

• City of Las Vegas DPS written policy around Arrest and Detention of Foreign Nationals indicating formal policy, revised May 2017, to advise Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the release date of any foreign-born individual.

• ICE Detainer Report 2017 – YTD 2019 R2 contains City of Las Vegas DPS list of detainers from January 1, 2017-February 28, 2019

• “Release to ICE 2017 – YTD 2019.pdf” indicates scheduled release date, date of pick up by ICE, and information of reason for release (Sentence Complete, Bail, No Charges Filed, etc.)

• “07 Chief’s Report – Jan 2019” indicates revenues and expenditures.

What the numbers say

• From January 1, 2017 to February 28, 2019, City of Las Vegas DPS received detainers for 1680 individuals.

• Of these, ICE ultimately picked up 1139 individuals from City of Las Vegas DPS custody (67.8% of those who received detainers)

• Individuals picked up by ICE were first detained in city custody (at city expense) for an average of 1.17 days. Some individuals were picked up before their scheduled release date, while others were held for up to five days.

Direct Expenses to Las Vegas taxpayers

A conservative estimate places the direct cost to the City of Las Vegas for engaging in ICE’s work at least $211,629 over the approximately two years for which data was provided.

This figure was calculated by adding up the number of nights individuals were detained on an ICE hold after they would otherwise have been released. A total of 980 individuals were detained one or more nights prior to transferred to ICE, for a total of 1331 nights.

Records obtained from the City show that the cost of one night of detention ranges from $129-$214/inmate.  Projected expenditures indicate $159/inmate/day.

No federal revenue is provided or available to reimburse costs related to these enforcement activities.  Correspondingly, revenue calculations in the Chief’s report indicate no federal income.

Disregard for Las Vegas Courts

Of those individuals transferred to ICE custody, a full 58% were transferred before their cases were closed before a Las Vegas Judge.  A quarter (26.77%) were released on bail, but transferred to ICE without the opportunity to attend their hearing. Another 31.43% were ordered “Court OR,” “Judicial OR” or “Pretrial OR” indicating that Nevada judges ruled that they be released on their own recognizance while awaiting trial – an indication that they judge did not see them as a risk to the community, or a flight risk.

These transfers to ICE custody prevent individuals from fighting their cases in Nevada courts, and could have generated up to 663 bench warrants for arrest.

Thirty individuals were transferred to ICE custody as a result of no charges being filed against them, and another 41 were transferred after charges were “dismissed” or “denied.”