Eight sheriff’s offices in Minnesota have entered into new agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to assist in federal immigration enforcement operations. The partnerships are part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to expand cooperation between local and federal law enforcement in carrying out immigration law and deportation actions.
According to information posted by ICE, the participating counties are Cass, Crow Wing, Freeborn, Itasca, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Mille Lacs, and Sherburne. Each county’s sheriff’s office entered into a formal partnership under Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows local agencies to perform certain immigration enforcement functions under federal supervision.
The agreements fall into three categories: task force model, warrant service officer model, and jail enforcement model.
- Under the task force model, used in Cass, Crow Wing, Itasca, and Mille Lacs counties, local deputies are authorized to assist federal officers in identifying and arresting individuals who may be in the U.S. unlawfully during routine law enforcement operations.
- The warrant service officer model, adopted by Crow Wing, Freeborn, Jackson, and Kandiyohi counties, permits trained deputies to perform immigration arrests within county jails at ICE’s request.
- The jail enforcement model, used in Sherburne County, authorizes local officers to question detainees about immigration status and hold individuals for up to 48 hours when ICE issues a detainer.
These partnerships expand existing arrangements in Freeborn, Kandiyohi, and Sherburne counties, which have long-standing contracts with ICE to detain immigration violators in local facilities.
ICE officials have previously said the agreements are designed to improve cooperation, increase safety for officers and the public, and ensure that individuals in violation of immigration law are processed in accordance with federal regulations. The Department of Homeland Security said similar partnerships have helped streamline deportation procedures and reduce recidivism among criminal illegal aliens.
