Nearly 1,400 Local Law Enforcement Agencies Sign Agreements to Assist ICE Nationwide

ICE’s 287(g) program expands across 40 states, formalizing cooperation between federal immigration authorities and local police agencies.

By: Haitian Prime News|January 29, 2026|United States

Nearly 1,400 local law enforcement agencies across the United States have entered into formal agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to assist with immigration enforcement under the federal 287(g) program.

As of January 28, a total of 1,373 agencies operating in 40 states have signed agreements authorizing designated local officers to carry out specific immigration-related functions under ICE supervision. These partnerships involve sheriff’s offices, county jails, and state law enforcement agencies.

The 287(g) program establishes cooperation between federal and non-federal law enforcement through three operational models.

Under the Jail Enforcement Model, participating agencies may question individuals already in custody about their immigration status after arrest on local or state charges. This model also allows local agencies to detain non-citizens for up to 48 hours at ICE’s request.

The Warrant Service Officer model authorizes trained jail personnel to serve ICE administrative warrants to individuals held in local custody, facilitating transfers to federal immigration authorities.

The Task Force Model extends immigration enforcement authority beyond detention facilities, allowing designated officers to perform immigration-related duties during routine street-level policing, including traffic stops.

The growth of the 287(g) program follows legislative action in multiple Republican-led states, where laws passed in the past year require local law enforcement agencies to cooperate with ICE. These measures effectively codify 287(g) participation into state law. Similar legislation is currently pending in Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, and Mississippi.

Texas and Florida currently account for the highest number of counties participating in 287(g) agreements nationwide.

The expansion of the program underscores an increasing role for state and local agencies in federal immigration enforcement, a development that continues to generate legal, political, and civil rights debate across the country.

Sources

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Public ICE 287(g) Program Participation Data