President Donald Trump’s administration is reviving and expanding a decades-old program that trains local law officers to interrogate immigrants in their custody and detain them for potential deportation. The 287(g) program, which was created in 1996, currently applies only to those already jailed or imprisoned on charges.
Under the new plan, local task forces will be empowered to make arrests on the streets, reviving a model that former President Barack Obama discontinued amid concerns about racial profiling. It’s unclear whether this expansion will allow local officers to stop people solely to check their immigration status.
The program has been met with concern from advocates for immigrants, who warn of racial profiling, sweeping in U.S. citizens or people with lawful status, and a chilling effect on communities reporting crime to local law enforcement agencies.
Florida has already struck an agreement with ICE to interrogate, arrest, and detain immigrants suspected of being in the country illegally, and other states are pushing for mandatory participation in the program.
The expansion is part of a broader effort by Trump’s administration to crack down on illegal immigration. The 287(g) program will be expanded through lighter detention facility regulations and shorter training periods, aiming to encourage greater collaboration with federal immigration officials.
Some states, including Florida, Texas, and North Carolina, already have agreements in place, while others are seeking to require or incentivize cooperative agreements with ICE. The Indiana Senate has passed legislation creating a state grant program for 287(g) participants, pending in the House.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/illegal-immigration-ice-states-trump-7246e8248cada0ddddf078ad1dc79d1a