The Trump administration is utilizing agreements with state and local law enforcement departments across the country to help apprehend and deport illegal immigrants, a new report details.
The agreements come under a federal law called the 287(g) program, which allows U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to delegate certain immigration enforcement functions to local and state law enforcement.
According to a Department of Homeland Security memo obtained by The Daily Wire, the agency has 562 agreements in place across the country, a 316% increase in agreements compared to the Biden administration’s four years.
“Since January 20, our partnerships with state and local law enforcement have led to over 1,100 arrests of dangerous criminal illegal aliens,” the DHS memo obtained by The Daily Wire said. “ICE has also trained over 5,000 officers across the country to help track down and arrest criminal illegal aliens in their communities.”
Operation Tidal Wave, one such agreement in Florida, resulted in over 800 illegal immigrants apprehended in the operation’s first four days.
According to ICE’s website, there are 287(g) program agreements in nearly every state except left-leaning California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, New Mexico, Illinois, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Delaware. West Virginia has a pending agreement.
“The 287(g) program allows ICE — through the delegation of specified immigration officer duties — to enhance collaboration with state and local law enforcement partners to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of aliens who undermine the safety of our nation’s communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws,” ICE said.
The Camden Police Department in Delaware reportedly withdrew from its 287(g) program agreement with ICE on Tuesday after “pushback” from the community and liberal advocacy groups like the ACLU of Delaware.
“Immigrants are a vital part of our communities, and these agreements only serve to directly support the Trump administration’s mass deportation plans,” ACLU of Delaware Executive Director Mike Brickner said. “287(g) agreements undermine public safety by pitting local law enforcement against immigrant communities, meaning that victims of crime, witnesses, and others will be afraid to come forward and cooperate with police.”
In Florida, over 400 Florida State Troopers have been trained under the program, the most in the country.
“The Florida Highway Patrol is proud to partner with federal and local law enforcement to combat illegal immigration,” Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Dave Kerner said in April. “When it comes to illegal immigration, Governor DeSantis has been clear; Florida is not a sanctuary. Florida is a vanguard, and we will continue to lead on public safety and illegal immigration enforcement.”
Kerner was sworn in as an ICE Task Force Officer under the program in April.
