ACLU report: ICE detainers up by 300 percent since Louisville altered policy on inmate holds
By Josh James
August 15, 2026 at 5:09 PM EDT
A year after Louisville agreed to a 48-hour hold policy for inmates with immigration issues, the ACLU of Kentucky reports that ICE activity sharply increased in the city.
The ACLU opposed the change from the start, voicing concerns about the city cooperating with the Trump administration's aggressive immigration policies, under threat of losing federal funding.
Now, a year later, the group says ICE detainer holds nearly tripled in the six months following the decision by Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yNSN2LUe6c
Amber Duke with the ACLU said she hopes their report highlights that ICE operations don't necessarily take the shape of the deadly actions witnessed in Minnesota.
"So some of what I hope people take away, as we have a year of this policy, is an understanding that that type of ICE enforcement not only happened sort of loudly and violently and in this flashy way. It's also playing out quietly at our jail here in Louisville," she says.
The ACLU reports federal data show 150 people detained under the policy were eventually deported. Before the policy change, about a third of ICE detainer requests involving Louisville facilities were turned down.
Greenberg has defended the policy, however, saying it's kept more immigrants safe by avoiding large-scale crackdowns. Gov. Andy Beshear said Thursday that he had not read the ACLU report, but defended Greenberg's decision.
"I'm not going to criticize Louisville because what they did was move to the statewide standard," he said. "They had a lower hour detainer standard and they moved to what the state already had in place before the Trump administration."
https://x.com/AGPamBondi/status/1947659049450815554
Still, immediately after the Louisville decision, then-U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi hailed the move as a "major victory" for the Department of Justice.
Now, a year later, the group says ICE detainer holds nearly tripled in the six months following the decision by Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yNSN2LUe6c
Amber Duke with the ACLU said she hopes their report highlights that ICE operations don't necessarily take the shape of the deadly actions witnessed in Minnesota.
"So some of what I hope people take away, as we have a year of this policy, is an understanding that that type of ICE enforcement not only happened sort of loudly and violently and in this flashy way. It's also playing out quietly at our jail here in Louisville," she says.
The ACLU reports federal data show 150 people detained under the policy were eventually deported. Before the policy change, about a third of ICE detainer requests involving Louisville facilities were turned down.
Greenberg has defended the policy, however, saying it's kept more immigrants safe by avoiding large-scale crackdowns. Gov. Andy Beshear said Thursday that he had not read the ACLU report, but defended Greenberg's decision.
"I'm not going to criticize Louisville because what they did was move to the statewide standard," he said. "They had a lower hour detainer standard and they moved to what the state already had in place before the Trump administration."
https://x.com/AGPamBondi/status/1947659049450815554
Still, immediately after the Louisville decision, then-U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi hailed the move as a "major victory" for the Department of Justice.