Key Takeaways
• 287(g) agreements grew from 151 to 456 active in 38 states as of April 2025.
• Officers’ training reduced from four weeks to one, raising concerns about legal risks and preparedness.
• Local police, campus, and wildlife officers can now enforce immigration laws under expanded 287(g) program.
Since January 2025, the Trump administration has made sweeping changes to how immigration laws are enforced in the United States 🇺🇸 by rapidly expanding the 287(g) Program. This program, which connects local police and sheriff’s offices with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has grown more in the past few months than in any period since its start. The number of agreements between ICE and local law enforcement is now more than three times higher than it was just months ago, and the kinds of agencies involved have grown to include not only police and sheriffs, but even campus police and wildlife officers. The purpose of these agreements is plainly stated by President Trump: to push forward what he describes as “the largest mass deportation in history,” putting immigration enforcement power directly into the hands of state and local authorities.
What Is the 287(g) Program?
To understand how big these changes are, it’s useful to know what the 287(g) Program is. Named after a section in the Immigration and Nationality Act, this program allows ICE to enter into agreements with local law enforcement agencies. Under these agreements, certain police, sheriff’s deputies, and sometimes even civilian staff are “deputized” to act like ICE officers in specific ways. This means that, under federal supervision, they can ask people in jail about their immigration status, issue what is called an “administrative warrant,” or more directly help ICE with arrests and paperwork that can lead to deportation.
The program’s original idea was to help ICE focus on people committing serious crimes, but its reach has changed depending on who is in the White House. As reported by VisaVerge.com, the Trump administration’s use of the 287(g) Program has now become one of the most far-reaching strategies for local involvement in immigration enforcement the country has ever seen.
Where and How Has the 287(g) Program Expanded?
As of mid-April 2025, there are 456 active 287(g) agreements across 38 states—more than three times the number recorded in December 2024. In addition, another 63 agreements are pending, awaiting official approval. While these numbers are record-breaking, it’s also important to realize the number and type of law enforcement agencies involved.
State Highlights:
- Florida stands out above all other states, with nearly half of all 287(g) agreements. Every single county jail in the state now has an agreement in place, as is required by a state law passed in 2022.
- In Florida, it’s not just county sheriff’s offices participating. The state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife and even university campus police forces are signing agreements too.
- In Virginia and Texas, lawmakers have passed bills or made executive orders that guide or even require their local law enforcement agencies to join the 287(g) Program.
This expansion does not just mean more agencies signing up—it has also broadened the ways in which officers can help enforce federal immigration laws.
The Three Kinds of 287(g) Agreements
There are now three main kinds of 287(g) agreements. Each offers a different level of authority for local law enforcement to take part in immigration enforcement.
Task Force Model (TFM)
The Task Force Model is the broadest form. Officers deputized under this agreement can ask about immigration status and enforce immigration law during regular police duties, like traffic stops or investigations. This is the most powerful version of the program—essentially, local police act as ICE agents in daily law enforcement.
- As of late April 2025, 231 of these agreements were active, far more than at any time in history.
- More than 625 officers in 141 agencies in 16 states have been specially deputized under this model.
Jail Enforcement Model (JEM)
This model is focused on jails and holding facilities. Correctional officers in local jails are allowed to ask anyone detained about their immigration status and can process paperwork for removal from the country.
- There are currently 87 agencies operating under the Jail Enforcement Model.
Warrant Service Officer (WSO) Model
Known as “287(g)-lite,” this model gives local officers the right to serve and carry out administrative immigration warrants only on people who are already in their custody. Officers under this agreement have a narrower scope of authority than with the other two models.
- There are 188 of these agreements now in operation.
For more official details on the 287(g) Program, you can visit the ICE’s official 287(g) web page.
What’s Changed in Program Implementation?
The Trump administration has not just expanded the number of agencies and officers involved—it has also made it easier for local agencies to sign up. Several notable changes stand out:
- Shorter Training: Deputized officers now only need one week of training instead of four weeks. Critics worry this is not enough time for officers to learn how to enforce complicated federal immigration laws.
- Legal Protection for Officers: The administration is working to provide “full-scale indemnification.” This means local officers who enforce these laws could get legal backing from the federal government if someone sues them for their actions during immigration enforcement.
- Force Multiplier: ICE has repeatedly called the program a “force multiplier.” With thousands of local police helping, even a small federal agency can act as though it’s much larger.
These changes are designed to make the 287(g) Program grow even more quickly, and to avoid problems recruiting local agencies who might worry about legal risks or the time commitment of training their officers.
Concerns and Criticism from Communities and Experts
While expansion of the 287(g) Program is welcomed by some as a way to increase immigration enforcement, many groups and experts have raised strong concerns.
Targeting People Without Criminal Records
In the past, the 287(g) Program has been used to detain and deport people who have little or no criminal history. Many local officers have picked up individuals on minor charges, like driving without a seatbelt or lacking a driver’s license, and then used their 287(g) authority to ask about immigration status and start the deportation process.
Many fear that this pattern is likely to happen again, especially now that the program is larger than before.
Racial Profiling and Civil Rights
Some of the most serious criticism comes from groups worried about civil rights. The task force model, in particular, has been blamed for high-profile cases of racial profiling—when police target people based on skin color or background rather than any evidence of a crime.
The best-known example is under former Sheriff Joe Arpaio in Maricopa County, Arizona. A federal court found that his use of the 287(g) Program violated people’s rights and involved unconstitutional racial profiling.
Because of such cases, the Obama administration ended the Task Force Model in 2012. Critics argue that bringing it back under the Trump administration risks repeating these problems.
Costs to Local Communities
Implementing the 287(g) Program is not free. Local police and sheriff’s offices must put staff and resources into training, paperwork, and additional enforcement efforts. These costs can pile up, sometimes taking money away from other important law enforcement priorities like stopping drug crimes or solving violent offenses.
Many city and county officials say that, even though ICE benefits from the extra personnel, local taxpayers end up shouldering most of the additional cost.
Loss of Trust Between Police and Immigrants
Many groups argue that connecting local police and immigration enforcement like this harms trust between immigrants and the police. When members of the community believe that any contact with the police can lead to deportation, they may be less likely to report crimes, question police actions, or even come forward as witnesses.
This can make whole neighborhoods less safe, as crimes may go unreported or unsolved.
Law, Policy, and the Bigger Picture
The Trump administration’s expansion of the 287(g) Program is part of a broader policy shift to use every available tool to boost immigration enforcement, often handing more power to state and local governments. This approach reverses what happened under President Obama, when the number of 287(g) agreements was reduced and the most far-reaching version of the program (the Task Force Model) was ended.
Instead, the Trump administration has pointed to the program’s value in “deputizing” local officers to help enforce federal immigration law, saying it makes communities safer and helps ICE “stretch” its limited resources. Some state governments, like Florida, have responded by making 287(g) agreements a legal requirement for local jails, further locking in this approach.
VisaVerge.com’s investigation reveals that, under this expansion, even agencies that have not historically focused on immigration enforcement, such as wildlife officers and university police, have gained a new role in ICE’s operations.
The Immediate and Long-Term Impact
For immigrants living in the United States 🇺🇸—especially those without documents—the expansion of the 287(g) program has immediate consequences. Even small encounters with local police can now lead to questioning about immigration status, detention, and the risk of deportation.
For local police and city leaders, the effects are more mixed. Some feel increased pressure from both federal officials and state laws to sign agreements, while others are worried about rising costs and public protests. Police chiefs in cities with large immigrant populations have warned about the dangers of “losing the trust” of groups who are now less likely to report crimes.
The long-term outcome remains uncertain. If the rapid expansion continues and state laws keep backing these agreements, local police may permanently play a far bigger role in federal immigration enforcement than in years past. If critics’ warnings about abuse, racial profiling, or damaged community trust come true, there may be new legal cases or a reaction in Congress to change the laws again.
Differing Views and Ongoing Debates
Supporters of the Trump administration’s approach often argue that the 287(g) Program is needed to keep “dangerous criminals” off the street and that it gives ICE the support it needs to enforce laws already on the books. They say the changes make the United States 🇺🇸 safer and allow for better cooperation across different levels of government.
Critics, however, point to the real risk of targeting people with no criminal history, the history of civil rights violations, and worries about the program’s effect on local budgets and the safety of entire communities.
As courts, lawmakers, and community groups continue to debate the 287(g) Program’s future, its impact on the American immigration system—especially under the Trump administration—remains one of the most important stories in immigration today.
Summary
In summary, the growth of the 287(g) Program under President Trump and ICE has changed the relationship between federal immigration enforcement and local police. With more than 456 agreements in place and hundreds more pending, the program is a key part of an effort to increase deportations and expand ICE’s reach using local staff. While some say it makes America safer, others call for caution, urging a close look at the costs to communities, civil rights, and basic trust between police and those they serve. This debate is likely to shape the future of immigration enforcement for years to come.
Learn Today
287(g) Program → Federal initiative allowing local law enforcement to enforce immigration laws after formal agreements with ICE.
ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) → Federal agency responsible for immigration enforcement, detainment, and removal of undocumented individuals.
Task Force Model → A 287(g) agreement empowering local police to enforce immigration laws during regular policing duties outside jails.
Warrant Service Officer (WSO) Model → A 287(g) version letting officers execute administrative immigration warrants on people already in custody.
Racial Profiling → Discriminatory practice where law enforcement targets individuals based on race or ethnicity, not legal evidence.
This Article in a Nutshell
Since January 2025, the Trump administration has massively expanded the 287(g) Program, deputizing more local police, campus, and wildlife officers to act as ICE agents. With 456 active agreements, this shift intensifies immigration enforcement and raises concerns about racial profiling, community trust, and the rights of immigrants nationwide.
— By VisaVerge.com
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