COLUMBUS, OH (WOWO) Ohio correctional facilities received more than $13.2 million last year from federal agencies to house immigration detainees, according to WCMH. Records obtained from six facilities—including Butler County, the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio, Geauga, Mahoning, Northeast Ohio, and Seneca County—show that each facility received over $1 million in ICE payments.

Payments varied from $68 to $125 per detainee per day, covering costs such as housing, food, and transportation. Some facilities, including CCNO and Seneca County, earned more than the reported daily cost of detaining individuals, according to WCMH. For example, CCNO reported $117 per day in payments, while housing costs were $93 per day.

Agreements between Ohio facilities and ICE include a mix of standard bed space contracts, transport services, and partnerships under the 287(g) program. These arrangements allow local correctional systems to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, according to WCMH.

Butler County, which serves as the primary holding site for Columbus-area immigration arrests, received nearly half of the payments in 2025. The sheriff updated the Butler County agreement with ICE in November 2025, raising the payment to $105 per detainee.

Sheriffs involved in ICE agreements argue the partnerships help keep individuals with criminal records off the streets, while advocates note that many detainees are held for civil immigration purposes and have not been charged with crimes, according to WCMH.

The contracts remain active into 2026, ensuring that ICE continues to use local correctional facilities to house immigration detainees in Ohio.