MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. -- Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden is firing back at Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as U.S. attorney Andrew Murray.

  • Sheriff McFadden ended the 287 G program in the Mecklenburg County jail in December
  • He says ICE will no longer be able to walk into the courthouse and make arrests
  • Comunidad Collectiva says he's doing what he was elected to do 

The sheriff held a news conference Wednesday to respond to claims the sheriff's office released Luis Pineda-Ancheta twice and ignored a detainer request from ICE. Pineda Ancheta is in the country illegally.

"I am very disappointed in ICE for wanting to blame me and realizing that they had a burden that they could not accomplish, or a task that they could not accomplish. I am also disappointed with the U.S. district attorney for saying that I may not be committed to the safety of this community," Sheriff McFadden said.

EXCLUSIVE: Mecklenburg County Sheriff Says He's Doing His Own Thing Now

He says ICE will have to present a detainer form when they want to arrest a suspect.

He also says ICE will no longer be able to just walk into the courthouse and make arrests.

They'll have to first notify his office and be escorted in and out of a specific courtroom.

Community organization Comunidad Collectiva says he is doing exactly what he was elected to do as sheriff.

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