detainer
noun
de·tain·er
di-ˈtā-nər 
1
: the act of keeping something in one's possession
specifically
: the withholding from the rightful owner of something that has lawfully come into the possession of the holder
2
: detention in custody
3
: a writ authorizing the keeper of a prison to continue to hold a person in custody
Examples of detainer in a Sentence
keep him in detainer for at least 72 hours
she filed an action for unlawful detainer of land after nonpayment of rent
Recent Examples on the Web
Attorney General Brenna Bird said that Winneshiek County Sheriff Dan Marx had violated state law by posting on Facebook that his office would refuse to comply with some Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer requests.
—
Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025
Since the beginning of 2025, 626 people have been booked into the jail with ICE detainers, 240 of whom were facing no state charges.
—Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2025
The current law dictating Connecticut’s immigration enforcement policy, known as the Trust Act, prohibits local and state law enforcement from arresting someone solely on the basis of a detainer — a request from ICE that police hold a person for up to 48 hours so federal agents can pick them up.
—Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 20 Mar. 2025
There are also approximately 32 are in criminal custody who have active detainers — that is, ICE has asked that they be held for up to 48 hours after they're scheduled to be released.
—Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detainer
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Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025
Since the beginning of 2025, 626 people have been booked into the jail with ICE detainers, 240 of whom were facing no state charges.
—Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2025
The current law dictating Connecticut’s immigration enforcement policy, known as the Trust Act, prohibits local and state law enforcement from arresting someone solely on the basis of a detainer — a request from ICE that police hold a person for up to 48 hours so federal agents can pick them up.
—Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 20 Mar. 2025
There are also approximately 32 are in criminal custody who have active detainers — that is, ICE has asked that they be held for up to 48 hours after they're scheduled to be released.
—Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detainer
Cite this Entry
“Detainer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detainer. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
detainer
noun
de·tain·er
di-ˈtā-nər
1
: the act of keeping something in one's possession
specifically
: unlawful detainer
2
: detention in custody
3
: a notification sent by a prosecutor, judge, or other official advising a prison official that a prisoner is wanted to answer criminal charges and requesting continued detention of the prisoner or notification of the prisoner's impending release compare extradition
Etymology
Anglo-French detenoure, from detenir to restrain, detain, from Old French, from Latin detinere
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