Suarez Verela v. Carver County et al.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota filed a lawsuit in district court on behalf of Maikol Javier Suarez Verela, who was illegally detained by the Carver County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s office acted outside their clearly defined statutory authority and the bounds of the Minnesota Constitution by holding Suarez Verela for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after he paid bail.

Suarez Verela’s bail was paid by the Minnesota Freedom Fund (MFF) on February 13. As soon as bail was paid, the Carver County Sheriff’s Office had no legal basis to continue to detain him—but they did so anyway. Instead of releasing Suarez Verela, the sheriff’s office illegally held him based on a request (not a judicial warrant) from ICE and then transferred him to federal custody.

Carver County staff and Sheriff Kamerud know that Minnesota law prohibits state and local law enforcement agencies from holding people for ICE.