Immigration officers detained five people at the Douglas County courthouse over the past week, including a man who was taken into custody while waiting to appear before a judge on a DUI charge, officials confirmed.
The detentions began drawing attention on Monday after a Facebook post claimed plainclothes U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers had apprehended individuals at the courthouse. The post spread widely online, prompting questions about whether the reports were accurate.
Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson confirmed four people were detained Monday at the courthouse, with another individual taken into custody the previous week.
"We were made aware this morning when agents arrived in order to conduct their operation, and that's common for any federal agency, state agency, or local agency that wants to enter into this public building," Hanson said.
Attorney Robert Larsen was preparing to represent his client on the DUI charge when the man disappeared from the courtroom.
"My client was detained before he even made an appearance in court," Larsen said.
After speaking with the prosecutor, Larsen returned to find his client gone.
"When I came back to the benches in the courtroom, literally 20-25 feet away from where I was, my client was no longer there," Larsen said.
Larsen photographed the men, he said, detained his client. One of the agents told him the client had been previously deported, which was the reason for the detention.
"He advised he was with ICE. He advised also that my client had been previously deported, and that's why he was being detained," Larsen said.
Sheriff's deputies were not involved in helping federal agents locate the individuals who were detained, Hanson said. Deputies remained in active courtrooms as required by law, but the operations were conducted almost exclusively by federal agents.
"It's important to note that each of these court cases are public record," Hanson said.
A Department of Homeland Security database shows Larsen's client is being held at the ICE detention center in McCook.
Larsen said he warns undocumented clients that detention is a possibility when appearing in court.
"Now we know it is happening here. Make sure people are aware of and make sure they're prepared for the possibility," Larsen said.
Douglas County Commissioner Roger Garci expressed disappointment with the courthouse detentions in a statement.
"I do find it unfortunate that ICE officials would be apprehending individuals who are showing up to court, thereby discouraging others from doing exactly that," Garci said. "It's one thing to apprehend individuals in the midst of doing wrong, it's another thing to apprehend someone trying to do right by our judicial system."
Though he is not an immigration attorney, Larsen said he will continue following up with his client.
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