Washington, D.C. (June 12, 2025) - The Center for Immigration Studies releases a new podcast episode focusing on the 287(g) program, an ICE initiative that empowers and trains local law enforcement to help identify and detain illegal aliens involved in criminal activity. The Center’s director of policy studies Jessica Vaughan joins host Mark Krikorian to explain how the program works, why it matters, and what’s next.
Highlights include:
- What is 287(g)?
- A federal program established in 1996 that deputizes state and local law enforcement officers to perform certain ICE functions under ICE supervision.
- The Three Models:
- Jail Enforcement Model – Officers in the jail have access to DHS databases to investigate the immigration status of inmates, conduct interviews, and even start the deportation process by issuing charging documents.
- Warrant Service Officer Model – Officers serve ICE warrants and can detain and transport aliens to ICE custody.
- Task Force/Street Model – Officers can identify and detain aliens encountered during routine police work. In addition, agencies can address specific crime problems related to illegal immigration, such as drug or human trafficking, gangs, or identity theft, but this model has not yet been reinstated by the Trump administration.
- Training & Oversight:
- Officers receive ICE training in immigration law and civil rights protections. Agreements are regularly audited to prevent abuse of authority.
- Policy Shifts:
- Under Biden: No new agreements accepted, funding cut, most existing agreements terminated; at the end of his term only 43 active agreements were still in effect.
- Under Trump & Post-2024: Program rapidly expanding – now 635 agreements in 40 states, with Texas and Florida mandating statewide participation.
- Why It Matters:
- 287(g) is a force multiplier that helps areas underserved by ICE or in areas where the criminal alien caseload exceeds ICE’s resources, ensuring criminal aliens don’t slip through the cracks.
In today’s commentary, host Mark Krikorian, the Center’s executive director, highlights the return of the “Maryland man,” Kilmar Abrego Garcia, to face federal prosecution. What can be learned from the legal battle and the coverage and reaction to the case?
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