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State/Local Coordination
November 19, 2008
The ICE 287(g) Program: A Law Enforcement Partnership
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the largest investigative agency in the Department of Homeland Security, is responsible for enforcing federal immigration laws as part of its homeland security mission. ICE works closely with federal, state and local law enforcement partners in this mission.
The 287(g) program, one of ICE’s top partnership initiatives, allows a state and local law enforcement entity to enter into a partnership with ICE, under a joint Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), in order to receive delegated authority for immigration enforcement within their jurisdictions. The 287(g) program has emerged as one of the agency’s most successful and popular partnership initiatives as more state and local leaders have come to understand how a shared approach to immigration enforcement can benefit their communities.
ICE ACCESS: A Partnership Approach
The 287(g) program is one component of the ICE ACCESS (Agreements of Cooperation in Communities to Enhance Safety and Security) program, which provides local law enforcement agencies an opportunity to team with ICE to combat specific challenges in their communities.
The 287(g) program is only one component under the ICE ACCESS umbrella of services and programs offered for assistance to local law enforcement officers.
ICE developed the ACCESS program in response to the widespread interest from local law enforcement agencies who have requested ICE assistance through the 287(g) program, which trains local officers to enforce immigration law as authorized through section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Terrorism and criminal activity are most effectively combated through a multi-agency/multi-authority approach that encompasses federal, state and local resources, skills and expertise. State and local law enforcement play a critical role in protecting our homeland because they are often the first responders on the scene when there is an incident or attack against the United States. During the course of daily duties, they will often encounter foreign-born criminals and immigration violators who pose a threat to national security or public safety.
History of 287(g)
The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 added Section 287(g), performance of immigration officer functions by state officers and employees, to the Immigration and Nationality Act. This authorizes the secretary of DHS to enter into agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies, permitting designated officers to perform immigration law enforcement functions, provided that the local law enforcement officers receive appropriate training and function under the supervision of ICE officers.
The cross-designation between ICE and state and local patrol officers, detectives, investigators and correctional officers allows these local and state officers necessary resources and latitude to pursue investigations relating to violent crimes, human smuggling, gang/organized crime activity, sexual-related offenses, narcotics smuggling and money laundering. In addition, participating entities are eligible for increased resources and support in more remote geographical locations.
Memorandum of Agreement
The MOA defines the scope and limitations of the authority to be designated. It also establishes the supervisory structure for the officers working under the cross-designation and prescribes the agreed upon complaint process governing officer conduct during the life of the MOA. Under the statute, ICE will supervise all cross-designated officers when they exercise their immigration authorities. The agreement must be signed by the ICE Assistant Secretary, and the governor, a senior political entity, or the head of the local agency before trained local officers are authorized to enforce immigration law.
Officer Selection Requirements
Participating officers in the 287(g) program must meet the following requirements:
- U.S. citizenship
- Current background investigation completed
- Minimum two years experience in current position
- No disciplinary actions pending
Training Requirements
ICE offers a four-week training program now held at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) ICE Academy (ICEA) in Charleston, SC conducted by certified instructors.
287(g) Results and Participating Entities
Since January 2006, the 287(g) program is credited with identifying more than 79,000 individuals, mostly in jails, who are suspected of being in the country illegally. More than 950 officers have been trained and certified through the program under 67 active MOAs, as follows:
State | MOA Name | Type | Signed |
---|---|---|---|
AL |
AL State Police | TFO | 09/10/2003 |
AL |
Etowah County Sheriff's Office | JEO | 07/08/2008 |
AR |
Benton County Sheriff's Office | JEO/TFO | 09/26/2007 |
AR |
City of Springdale Police Department | TFO | 09/26/2007 |
AR |
Rogers Police Department | TFO | 09/25/2007 |
AR |
Washington County Sheriff's Office AR | JEO/TFO | 09/26/2007 |
AZ |
AZ Department of Corrections | JEO | 09/16/2005 |
AZ |
AZ Department of Public Safety | TFO | 04/15/2007 |
AZ |
City of Phoenix Police Department | TFO | 03/10/2008 |
AZ |
Maricopa County Sheriff's Office | JEO/TFO | 02/07/2007 |
AZ |
Pima County Sheriff's Office | JEO/TFO | 03/10/2008 |
AZ |
Pinal County Sheriff's Office | JEO/TFO | 03/10/2008 |
AZ |
Yavapai County Sheriff's Office | JEO/TFO | 03/10/2008 |
CA |
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office | JEO | 02/01/2005 |
CA |
Orange County Sheriff's Office | JEO | 11/02/2006 |
CA |
Riverside County Sheriff's Office | JEO | 04/28/2006 |
CA |
San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office | JEO | 10/19/2005 |
CO |
CO Department of Public Safety | TFO | 03/29/2007 |
CO |
El Paso County Sheriff's Office | JEO | 05/17/2007 |
FL |
Bay County Sheriff's Office | TFO | 06/15/2008 |
FL |
Brevard County Sheriff's Office | JEO | 08/13/2008 |
FL |
Collier County Sheriff's Office | JEO/TFO | 08/06/2007 |
FL |
Department of Law Enforcement | TFO | 07/02/2002 |
FL |
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office | JEO | 07/08/2008 |
FL |
Manatee County Sheriff's Office | JEO | 07/08/2008 |
GA |
Cobb County Sheriff's Office | JEO | 02/13/2007 |
GA |
GA Department of Public Safety | TFO | 07/27/2007 |
GA |
Hall County Sheriff's Office | JEO/TFO | 02/29/2008 |
GA |
Whitfield County Sheriff's Office | JEO | 02/04/2008 |
MA |
Barnstable County Sheriff's Office | JEO | 08/25/2007 |
MA |
Framingham Police Department | TFO | 08/14/2007 |
MA |
MA Department of Corrections | JEO | 03/26/2007 |
MD |
Frederick County Sheriff's Office | JEO/TFO | 02/06/2008 |
MN |
MN Department of Public Safety | TFO | 09/22/2008 |
MO |
MO State Highway Patrol | TFO | 06/25/2008 |
NC |
Alamance County Sheriff's Office | JEO | 01/10/2007 |
NC |
Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office | JEO | 08/02/2007 |
NC |
Cumberland County Sheriff's Office | JEO | 06/25/2008 |
NC |
Durham Police Department | TFO | 02/01/2008 |
NC |
Gaston County Sheriff's Office | JEO | 02/22/2007 |
NC |
Henderson County Sheriff's Office | JEO | 06/25/2008 |
NC |
Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office | JEO | 02/27/2006 |
NC |
Wake County Sheriff's Office | JEO | 06/25/2008 |
NH |
Hudson City Police Department | TFO | 05/05/2007 |
NJ |
Hudson County Department of Corrections | JEO | 08/11/2008 |
NM |
NM Department of Corrections | JEO | 09/17/2007 |
NV |
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department | JEO | 09/08/2008 |
OH |
Butler County Sheriff’s Office | JEO/TFO | 02/05/2008 |
OK |
Tulsa County Sheriff's Office | JEO/TFO | 08/06/2007 |
SC |
Beaufort County Sheriff's Office | TFO | 06/25/2008 |
SC |
York County Sheriff's Office | JEO | 10/16/2007 |
TN |
Davidson County Sheriff's Office | JEO | 02/21/2007 |
TN |
TN Department of Safety | TFO | 06/25/2008 |
TX |
Carrollton Police Department | JEO | 08/12/2008 |
TX |
Farmers Branch Police Dept. | TFO | 07/08/2008 |
TX |
Harris County Sheriff's Office | JEO | 07/20/2008 |
UT |
Washington County Sheriff’s Office | JEO | 09/22/2008 |
UT |
Weber County Sheriff’s Office | JEO | 09/22/2008 |
VA |
City of Manassas Police Department | TFO | 03/05/2008 |
VA |
Herndon Police Department | TFO | 03/21/2007 |
VA |
Loudoun County Sheriff's Office | TFO | 06/25/2008 |
VA |
Manassas Park Police Department | TFO | 03/10/2008 |
VA |
Prince William County Police Department | TFO | 02/26/2008 |
VA |
Prince William County Sheriff's Office | TFO | 02/26/2008 |
VA |
Prince William-Manassas Adult Detention Center | JEO | 07/09/2007 |
VA |
Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office | JEO/TFO | 04/25/2007 |
VA |
Shenandoah County Sheriff’s Office | TFO | 05/10/2007 |
JEO = Jail Enforcement Officers
TFO = Task Force Officers