Letter From LWVLC to the Leelanau County Sheriff About ICE

The LWVLC submitted a letter to The Leelanau Enterprise, which was printed in the February 5, 2026, edition.

To the Editor,

The League of Women Voters of Leelanau County would like to thank Undersheriff Jim Kiessel for the clear statement that, as of January 21, 2026, the Leelanau County Sheriff’s Office does not have a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ICE and does not participate in the federal government program which is used to give law enforcement officers the authority to perform certain civil immigration enforcement functions under the direction of ICE.  (Leelanau Enterprise January 22, 2026).   Given the high degree of public interest in immigration law enforcement, this transparency is very welcome.

We noted that an enforcement relationship with ICE may require authorization by the Leelanau County Board of Commissioners, and that no such action has been proposed. As this situation unfolds, we look forward to continued transparency by the Sheriff’s office.

The LWV is a nonpartisan organization. The League never supports or opposes candidates or parties, but we advocate for “Positions” arrived at through exhaustive study and consensus among our members across the United States. The LWV believes that democratic government depends upon informed and active citizens’ participation at all levels of government and supports policing practices that promote safety for both law enforcement officers and the communities they serve.

Nancy Duck

President, the League of Women Voters of Leelanau County

Leland, Michigan

Two LWV Positions were referred to in the last sentence:

The League of Women Voters believes that democratic government depends upon informed and active participation at all levels of government (LWVUS Position on the Citizen’s Right to Know/Citizen Participation 1984) and supports policing practices that promote safety for both law enforcement officers and the communities they serve (LWVUS Position on Criminal Justice adopted 2022).