The group says the sheriff’s office refused to release contracts and communications tied to federal immigration enforcement, including ICE.
TIFFIN, Ohio — The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio has filed a lawsuit asking the Ohio Supreme Court to order the Seneca County Sheriff’s Office to release records the group says fall under the state’s public records laws.
The mandamus action, filed Tuesday, seeks contracts, memorandums and other communications between the sheriff’s office and federal agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Marshals Service.
The ACLU said it submitted the request on March 12 on behalf of its Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer Jocelyn Rosnick. According to the ACLU, the sheriff’s office responded on April 4 that ICE contracts are federal records subject to the Federal Records Act and not covered by Ohio’s public records law.
The ACLU disputes that reasoning, saying the sheriff’s office has acknowledged it possesses the records and has a legal duty to release them. The group filed a similar lawsuit against Geauga County in May, which remains ongoing.
“The public has a right to this information,” said Freda Levenson, the legal director of the ACLU of Ohio. “Local law enforcement must be accountable; it cannot shroud itself in secrecy.”
“The ACLU of Ohio is deeply committed to protecting immigrants’ rights and our organization serves as a watchdog for government transparency and accountability,” Rosnick said. “Ohio counties like Seneca and Geauga cannot hide behind federal immigration officials to avoid obligations under Ohio law. Our lawful demands for timely and accurate information must not be ignored.”
The ACLU said the lawsuit asks the court to compel the sheriff’s office and Sheriff Fredrick Stevens to “promptly provide the records requested.”
This article was published by Troy Gingerich (WTOL) on 2025-08-12 14:02:00
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