What really struck me is how many of those detainees had no criminal convictions—in Nassau County, 62 percent fell into that category. That raises uncomfortable questions: we usually think of detention for serious crimes or threats to public safety, but here, many are being held simply under civil immigration charges.

The financial dimension is also laid bare: counties receive per diem rates (for example, $95/day in Allegany County, or $195/day in Nassau) to cover the cost of holding detainees. For some rural or underfunded counties, that revenue is becoming a tempting supplement to strained local budgets.

But there’s pushback. Local legislators and community advocates are decrying the use of jails to detain people who have committed no crimes. One Niagara County legislator called this arrangement “wrong,” arguing civil violations should not be a path to incarceration.

There are also procedural concerns: attorneys note that county jails often make it harder for detainees to access counsel or maintain contact, which increases the risk that people miss court dates or get moved far from their families.