detainer

play

noun de·tain·er \di-ˈtā-nər\

Definition of detainer

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 of detainer from the Web

And when arrested for crimes allegedly committed in the U.S., while the San Diego County Sheriff honored ICE detainer requests, the U.S. Attorney failed to file federal charges requiring jail time.

— william lajeunesse, Fox News, "Case of alleged hit-and-run driver deported 17 times is a '‘wakeup call,’ senator says", 1 June 2017
One day after his arrest, immigration officials placed a detainer on Vences-Lopez, Shawn Neudauer, a spokesman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said in a statement to NBC News.

— safia samee ali, NBC News, "Man Charged With Fare Evasion Faces Deportation After Officer Questions Immigration Status", 31 May 2017
Sheriffs and police chiefs can be charged with misdemeanors for refusing to comply with federal detainer requests.

— madison park, CNN, "Protest and turmoil rock last day of Texas legislative session", 30 May 2017
The Department of Justice defends the use of detainer requests.

— steve leblanc, The Seattle Times, "Lawyers seek release of man as US seeks country to take him", 28 May 2017
The detainer request is an alert ICE sends to a local law enforcement agency when police have arrested someone immigration officials want to take into custody on suspicion of being in the country illegally.

— paloma esquivel, latimes.com, "A U.S. citizen says her rights were violated after she was detained by immigration authorities in San Bernardino", 26 May 2017
Authorities say Saavedra is being held in Pennsylvania on an immigration detainer and is awaiting extradition to Delaware.

— associated press, Washington Post, "New Jersey man charged with murder in Delaware hit and run", 26 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'detainer'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of detainer

Anglo-French detenour, alteration of detenir

NEW!

First Known Use: 1619

See Words from the same year

Law Dictionary

detainer

play

noun de·tain·er \di-ˈtā-nər\

Legal Definition of detainer

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