McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) — The Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday announced that the Trump administration will reimburse a portion of salary and benefit costs for local and state law enforcement officers who help with ICE arrests.
There are nearly 1,000 law enforcement agencies assisting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in what is called the 287(g) program targeting the arrest of immigrants who are in the United States illegally.
Starting Oct. 1, DHS says partnering law enforcement agencies will be reimbursed up to 25% of an officer’s annual salary and benefits, including overtime pay, DHS says.
The following quarterly monetary performance awards also will be given based on how many undocumented immigrants are located and the agency assists ICE with arresting:
- 90% – 100% – $1,000 per eligible task force officer
- 80% – 89% – $750 per eligible task force officer
- 70% – 79% – $500 per eligible task force officer
The costs are part of $165 billion appropriated for DHS under the 2026 Budget bill signed by President Trump on July 4.
“ICE is not only supercharging our hiring, we are also multiplying partnerships with state and local law enforcement to remove the worst of the worst including murderers, gang members, rapists, terrorists, and pedophiles from our country,” ICE Deputy Director Madison Sheahan said in a statement.
“We encourage all state and local law enforcement agencies to sign a 287(g) agreement now. By joining forces with ICE, you’re not just gaining access to these unprecedented reimbursement opportunities—you’re becoming part of a national effort to ensure the safety of every American family,” Sheahan said.
Critics argue that the program harms police-community relations by turning local police into federal immigration agents, especially when it targets individuals with little or no criminal history.
A 2022 report by the ACLU, “License to Abuse: How ICE’s 287(g) Program Empowers Racist Sheriffs and Civil Rights Violations,” allege the program encourages racial profiling, and said ICE used “anti-immigrant hate as its selling point.”
“Through the 287(g) program, ICE finds ways to circumvent the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause, which mandates all federal law enforcement (including immigration law) be executed by the federal government,” according to a July report “Immigration Dragnet: the New Era of 287(g)” by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center.
Currently, 958 law enforcement agencies are signed up with the 287(g) program, DHS says.
Partnering law enforcement agencies receive access to ICE resources and training, which is covered by the federal government.
There are three types of ways law enforcement agencies can partner with ICE:
- Jail Enforcement Model: officers identify to ICE and process undocumented immigrants currently in jail or detention facilities who have pending or active criminal charges.
- Task Force Model: Officers enforce limited immigration authority on routine police duties, such as identifying an undocumented person during a DUI stop and sharing that information with ICE. They also can take part in ICE-led task force arrests.
- Warrant Service Officer Model: Officers are trained and certified by ICE to serve and execute administrative warrants on undocumented immigrants currently in law enforcement custody.
The 287(g) program is named after Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act that authorizes ICE to delegate to local and state law enforcement officers the authority to perform specified immigration officer functions under the agency’s supervision.
Agencies that want to participate can email: ERO287@ICE.dhs.gov or go to this link for more information.
Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.
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