The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is changing policy on immigration holds.

In the past, deputies would hold suspected illegal immigrants for immigration and customs enforcement but not anymore.

Effective immediately, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office will no longer jail immigrants who are being investigated for deportation.

"A letter went out to immigration on August 20 staying we would no longer honor any types of immigration holds on anyone who had been brought in on a state charge," said Larry McKinnon, a public information officer for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. "Unless they had a federal warrant from a judge or a federal deportation order from a federal judge." 

It’s a win for the Raice Organization, an immigration reform group based in Tampa.

"Today we will celebrate victory for the immigrant community in Tampa,” said Oscar Hernandez of Raice. “I'm happy to see Hillsborough County will no longer do ICE holds, ICE tears families apart.”

Nestor Ruiz says his family was torn apart. He says in 2006 his father who was here illegally from Mexico was pulled over during a routine traffic stop and was deported.

“I saw two guys walk my dad out in handcuffs, I was 12 or 13 maybe,” said Ruiz. “We were separated for a month because we were scared they were gonna come back and get the rest of the family."

Ruiz's father is still in Mexico.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office decided to change its policy of holding illegal immigrants after a federal judge in Oregon ruled against the practice. It’s a change that brings Hillsborough County in line with other local sheriff’s offices. Sheriffs in Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando Counties have all made similar changes to their immigration hold policies.

“Without weighing into the immigration issues we all see federally, we have to make sure we are protecting people and that's what it's all about,” said McKinnon. “That's our job, that's our mission, that we protect people."

"Of course we know there are always two sides to every issue, but ultimately, we believe this is something will keep our community safer and give them relief," said Ruiz.

A local Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, or “ICE”, representative said the agency will work with law enforcement to get warrants to detain and possibly deport people charged with serious crimes, not people facing traffic offenses and misdemeanors.