(The Center Square) – Despite Texas law enforcement officers and members of the Texas legislature claiming to support the Trump administration’s mass deportation and border security efforts, law enforcement officers from only 63 counties have signed 287(g) agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, representing nearly 25% of Texas’ 254 counties.
The Trump administration has called on law enforcement agencies in all counties and states to participate in a federal program through which ICE delegates specific immigration functions to state and local law enforcement under ICE supervision.
The 287(g) partnership creates a “force multiplier” to help federal agents “deport removable aliens involved in gang activity, violent crimes, human smuggling, organized crime, sex offenses, drug smuggling, money laundering and many other crimes,” ICE explains, to keep “communities safer for our families, friends and loved ones.”
Training is free to the local agencies and accessible including online. “ICE bears the cost of 287(g) training for law enforcement agencies,” ICE explains.
There are three models for local and state law enforcement officers to join: a Jail Enforcement Model (JEM), Task Force Model (TFM) and Warrant Service Officer (WSO) model. In order to participate, local police departments, county sheriffs, state attorneys general and state law enforcement agencies must sign a Memorandum of Understanding with ICE and receive ICE training and certification.
As of May 29, law enforcement agencies in 40 states were participating in 287(g), with the greatest number of agreements signed in Florida, The Center Square reported.
In Texas, 63 sheriff’s offices have signed one, two or three 287(g) agreements with ICE, as of May 29. They include: Aransas (JEM); Atascosa (TFM); Austin (WSO); Bee (WSO); Burleson (WSO); Burnet (WSO); Calhoun (JEM, TFM, WSO); Chambers (JEM); Coke (TFM); Colorado (JEM); Deaf Smith (WSO); DeWitt (WSO, JEM); Ellis (JEM); Falls (TFM); Fayette (WSO); Fort Bend (JEM, WSO); Franklin (JEM); Galveston (JEM, WSO); Goliad (JEM, TFM, WSO); Gonzales (WSO); Grayson (JEM); Gregg (JEM); Hamilton (TFM); Harrison (WSO); Hill (WSO); Hood (WSO); Houston (WSO); Jackson (JEM, WSO); Jim Wells (TFM, WSO, JEM); Kendell (WSO); Kerr (TFM, WSO, JEM); Kinney (TFM); Kleberg (JEM); Lavaca (JEM, WSO); Live Oak (WSO); Lubbock (JEM); Matagorda (JEM); McMullen (WSO); Medina (TFM); Montgomery (JEM); Nueces (JEM); Orange (WSO); Panola (TFM, WSO); Parker (WSO); Polk (WSO); Potter (JEM); Randall (JEM); Refugio (WSO, JEM); Rockwall (JEM); Rusk (WSO); San Patricio (JEM); Schleicher (WSO); Smith (TFM, JEM); Sutton (TFM, WSO); Tarrant (JEM); Terrell (JEM, WSO); Titus (TFM, WSO); Victoria (JEM, WSO); Walker (JEM, WSO); Waller (WSO); Wharton (JEM, WSO); Wichita (WSO) and Winkler (JEM, WSO, TFM) counties.
The Nixon Police Department (TFM, WSO) in Gonzales County, the Texas National Guard (TFM) and Texas Office of Attorney General (TFM) have also signed agreements. Applications are pending from sheriffs from Anderson, Denton, Milam and Rains counties, as of May 29 data.
Current sheriff participation represents roughly 25% of Texas’ 254 counties. The majority of counties are rural with small populations and limited funds. Twenty-three of the sheriff’s offices participating are part of an Operation Lone Star Task Force led by Goliad County.
Notably absent on the list are Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, and other state agencies. By contrast, Democratic-led Arizona Department of Corrections and Massachusetts Department of Corrections are participating in the JEM.
The Texas legislature has advanced legislation requiring only some sheriffs to participate in a jail model, leaving out any requirements for state agencies, police and constables, and ignoring two other models the Trump administration is requesting participation in, The Center Square reported. The bill does not have the support of sheriffs statewide, who argue it doesn’t provide adequate resources to rural, small counties already participating in 287(g) and ignores a task force model that they say is essential to interdicting cartel operations and supporting Trump deportation efforts statewide.
The greatest number of law enforcement agencies participating in 287(g) programs are in Florida, including all of Florida’s 67 sheriff’s offices; roughly 90 police departments; multiple university police departments, including boards of trustees; county commissioners; airport police; multiple departments of corrections, among others.
Florida also has the greatest number of pending applications, including 22 police departments, another airport, two more universities and the Florida Department of Agriculture, as of May 29, according to the data.
Americans who want their sheriffs, local and state law enforcement agencies to participate in 287(g) can provide them with an ICE 287g fact sheet, 287g brochure, or participant map, ICE says. They also can contact their state legislators and governors to encourage state agencies, university police, airports and others to participate.
