Turbocharging Deportations
Deputizing States
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In a bold move to restore law and order, the United States is witnessing a historic expansion of the 287(g) program, a cornerstone of President Donald J. Trump’s immigration enforcement strategy.
This federal-local partnership, authorized by Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, deputizes state and local law enforcement to assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in targeting criminal illegal aliens, enhancing public safety. Established in 1996, it allows Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs) to deputize trained officers to identify, process, and detain removable aliens. Florida’s Senate Bill 4-C, mandating 287(g) participation, sets a national model, amplifying ICE’s reach and securing borders, ensuring America protects its communities through this federal-local partnership.
As of June 17, 2025, ICE has signed 706 agreements across 40 states, including 339 Task Force Model (TFM) agreements, 257 Warrant Service Officer (WSO) agreements, 110 Jail Enforcement Model (JEM) agreements, and 625 officers deputized under TFM alone. The TFM empowers officers to enforce immigration laws during routine policing, such as at DUI checkpoints, while JEM focuses on screening detainees in jails, and WSO allows execution of ICE administrative warrants. Training, historically a four-week program at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, has been streamlined to a 40-hour online module in some cases, enabling rapid scaling. This expansion, driven by Executive Order 14159, signed January 20, 2025, prioritizes removing criminal aliens, with ICE reporting 158,000 arrests in 2025, 75% targeting violent offenders like MS-13 gang members.
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- States with 287(g) agreements (40): AL, AK, AZ, AR, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NC, ND, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI, WY
- States without 287(g) agreements (10, plus DC): CA, HI, NM, NY, OR, RI, SD, VT, WA, WV, DC
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Florida’s leadership under Governor Ron DeSantis exemplifies the 287(g) program’s potential. Senate Bill 4-C, enacted in 2025, mandates all state and county law enforcement agencies with over 25 officers to enter 287(g) agreements, ensuring full cooperation with ICE. Florida boasts 277 agreements, including unique partnerships with the Florida Highway Patrol, Florida National Guard, and Florida State Guard, making it a trailblazer in immigration enforcement. These agreements have fueled operations like a four-day crackdown in April 2025, resulting in nearly 800 arrests across Florida. Sheriff Grady Judd of Polk County noted, “By uniting our voices and sharing our resources, Florida continues to lead from the front in safeguarding our communities.” This model enhances public safety by targeting criminal aliens, such as those responsible for fentanyl trafficking, with Jacksonville seizing over 20 kilograms, enough to affect 10 million people.
The 287(g) expansion strengthens ICE’s capacity, strained by limited federal resources, by leveraging local officers trained to identify and detain illegal aliens with criminal records.
Department of Homeland Security has seen a 95% drop in border apprehensions, with May 2025 crossings below 1,500 daily, and “gotaways” reduced by 99% and driven over 1 million self-deportations, averaging 250,000 monthly or 62,500 weekly, with acceleration due to ICE’s focus on high-risk targets and streamlined voluntary departure programs!
Florida’s deputization model should inspire the nation. By mandating 287(g) participation, states can amplify ICE’s reach, deter illegal immigration, and protect communities from crime. Other states, like Texas and Georgia, are following suit, with Texas Senate Bill 8 proposing mandatory agreements for urban counties. This approach, combined with Supreme Court rulings in 2025 overriding district judges’ attempts to block deportations, ensures federal authority prevails.
We must sustain this momentum by expanding 287(g) agreements, completing the border wall, and enacting laws like the Laken Riley Act to detain criminal aliens. For those who self-deport and seek to contribute legally, we welcome lawful re-entry, but those committing crimes or engaging in anti-American acts must be removed swiftly. By embracing Florida’s model, America can secure its future, uphold its laws, and remain a beacon of safety and opportunity.
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