A small-town Ohio police chief and her officer were placed on administrative leave after driving more than an hour outside their jurisdiction to conduct immigration checks at Cincinnati schools while falsely claiming federal authority.

Unauthorized Operation Sparks Outrage

Gratis Police Chief Tonina Lamanna and Officer Jeffrey Baylor traveled from their small village to three Cincinnati Public Schools last week, claiming to act under Immigration and Customs Enforcement authority. Superintendent Shauna Murphy revealed the pair attempted to conduct wellness checks on students, but were denied access. The Gratis Police Department maintains a Memorandum of Agreement with ICE, allowing trained officers to act on limited authority, but only within their own jurisdiction. Chief Lamanna’s decision to operate two counties away violated that agreement and departmental policy.

Butler County Sheriff condemned the action directly, stating Lamanna never should have gone outside her jurisdiction, particularly to Hamilton County or the city. The Village of Gratis issued a statement confirming officials were not informed of the operation beforehand and only learned of the incident when contacted by other law enforcement agencies. Village administrators held an executive session on Sunday and voted unanimously to place both officers on administrative leave pending investigation.

Federal Agency Distances Itself

ICE quickly clarified that the operation was not sanctioned federal enforcement. A spokesperson emphasized that ICE does not target schools for enforcement actions and made clear this was not an ICE officer conducting official business. The agency explained that its Unaccompanied Children Safety Verification Initiative, launched in November 2025, focuses on protecting 450,000 unaccompanied minors who entered the country under the previous administration. ICE claims many children were placed with unvetted sponsors who turned out to be smugglers and sex traffickers, and the current administration has located more than 145,000 of these children through partnerships with local law enforcement.

What This Means

The incident highlights tensions between local law enforcement and cooperation with federal immigration authorities and jurisdictional boundaries. Cincinnati Public Schools General Counsel Daniel Hoying confirmed Chief Lamanna told him she would not conduct checks at Cincinnati schools in the future. The Village of Gratis explicitly stated these actions do not reflect their practice or policy, particularly for operations occurring two counties away. Chief Lamanna has not responded to requests for comment as the investigation proceeds.