CHARDON, Ohio — Geauga County commissioners this month signed off on a secret agreement with the federal government that they say allows the sheriff to house immigration detainees in the jail.

Their approval on Sept. 9 came days after Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost issued an opinion saying that only county commissioners, not sheriffs, have the power to sign contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Geauga County Administrator Amy Bevan refused to provide cleveland.com with a copy of the contract that was unanimously authorized by commissioners Carolyn Brakey, Ralph Spidalieri and James Dvorak. Bevan contended that state public records law and federal rules “exempt” the county from sharing it with the public.

The ACLU of Ohio was met with a similar denial earlier this

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