(FLINT, MICHIGAN) The Metro Police Authority of Genesee County has signed a 287(g) Task Force agreement with ICE, becoming the sixth Michigan agency to enter a 287(g) partnership as of July 2025, according to local and federal reporting. Chief Matthew Bade said four officers will be trained under the agreement and stressed the department will not run standalone immigration sweeps or “seek out” undocumented residents. Instead, he said the agreement will apply during routine policing in the Flint area’s expressways, hotels, and big-box retail corridors, where the agency sees a large transient population. WWMT reported the move on July 21, quoting Bade’s assurance that the agency “is not going to participate in just immigration enforcement.”
Under section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, local officers can be deputized to perform limited civil immigration functions under ICE supervision. The Metro Police Authority chose the field-based model, which authorizes select officers to question, detain, and arrest for suspected civil immigration violations encountered during traffic stops, calls for service, or investigations—distinct from jail-only models that operate inside detention facilities.
How the 287(g) Task Force will operate in Genesee County
The agency’s Task Force agreement means a small number of trained officers will carry delegated authority alongside their state and local duties. Chief Bade emphasized the department will not conduct proactive immigration raids, framing the focus on people encountered during criminal activity or standard policing.
In practice:
- Staffing and training
- Four officers will complete an ICE curriculum and operate under a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA).
- Officers must follow civil rights rules and supervisory protocols.
- Field encounters
- Deputized officers can question people about immigration status when they develop suspicion during routine policing.
- This field authority is broader than jail screening and can lead to referrals to ICE from street-level stops.
- ICE coordination
- Officers coordinate with ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) on identification checks, detainers, and custody decisions.
- If a person is booked on state charges and identified as potentially removable, an ICE detainer (Form I-247A) may be issued, requesting local custody hold and transfer to federal custody.
- See the official detainer form at: https://www.ice.gov/doclib/secure-communities/pdf/immigration-detainer-form.pdf
- Charging and court
- If ICE decides to pursue immigration charges, the person typically receives a Notice to Appear (Form I-862) initiating removal proceedings.
- Official form link: https://www.uscis.gov/i-862
- Records and oversight
- MOAs generally require data collection and make agencies subject to ICE audits and oversight.
Advocacy groups warn that field-based 287(g) work can chill crime reporting by immigrant victims and witnesses and may raise profiling concerns. Michigan United condemned a similar 287(g) Task Force agreement signed by the Taylor Police Department in July, arguing it risks racial profiling, spends local dollars without reimbursement, and undermines community trust and safety. Flint-area advocacy networks have voiced opposition to the Metro Police Authority’s agreement as well.
Statewide growth and national push
The Metro Police Authority joins a short list in Michigan:
- Taylor Police Department
- Sheriff’s offices in Berrien, Calhoun, and Jackson counties
- Roscommon County’s sheriff has a pending application (Axios Detroit reported on June 9).
Nationwide context:
- As of July 7, there are 629 agreements nationwide, with the program expanding quickly in 2025 (Axios).
- The Markup’s live tracker, based on official ICE data, found that during the first months of President Trump’s second term—through April 15, 2025—the number of participants more than doubled, with especially heavy growth in Florida.
Law enforcement and federal officials frame 287(g) as a way to stretch limited federal resources. Axios quoted ICE leadership calling the program a “force multiplier” for removals. At the same time, Bridge Michigan noted that some sheriffs face resource strain and are weighing whether participation makes operational sense, even as ICE arrests are expected to rise in 2025.
Michigan’s participation remains modest compared with large-volume states, but this year’s uptick suggests further growth. Roscommon’s pending application could mark another expansion, and federal pressure on sheriffs to sign MOAs continues. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, residents often track local MOAs and department statements to understand how these partnerships function day to day and to plan how to interact with police while staying informed about their rights.
How 287(g) interacts with other federal systems
- Secure Communities (biometric information-sharing) runs fingerprints from local jails against Department of Homeland Security databases.
- That system has operated in Michigan for years and is distinct from deputization under 287(g).
- Together, both systems can increase the likelihood that people booked into jail are identified for potential immigration action, even in counties without a 287(g) agreement.
Local impact, arguments for and against
For the Flint and Genesee County community, the shift to a field-based partnership may increase the number of status checks flowing from traffic stops and investigations.
Supporters’ arguments:
- It may improve public safety by flagging persons arrested for crimes who are removable under federal law.
- Officials say it provides training and structure for interactions with ICE.
Critics’ arguments:
- It may undermine trust and deter crime reporting by immigrant victims and witnesses.
- Local budgets may bear costs for training and deployment without federal reimbursement.
- It increases civil rights exposure and profiling concerns.
What residents should know and do
Residents and families in the United States 🇺🇸 should know the basics of their rights and next steps if they encounter a deputized officer or are booked into jail:
- You can generally ask if you’re free to leave. If you are not under arrest, you can leave.
- You can choose to remain silent. If you decide to speak, tell the truth.
- You can refuse consent to a search if officers don’t have a warrant.
- If detained or arrested, ask to speak with an attorney. Don’t sign immigration papers without legal advice.
- Family members should note the arresting agency and booking location, and contact a qualified immigration attorney promptly.
Community groups, including Michigan United and Genesee County advocacy networks, maintain hotlines and rapid response teams that can help families locate a person if transfer to ICE custody occurs. Taylor Police leadership, responding to criticism of its own agreement, has said the department already contacts ICE when unlawful presence is identified during booking, arguing the 287(g) framework adds structure and training to long-standing practices.
Sources and trackers
- Official ICE page for 287(g) partners and program details: https://www.ice.gov/identify-and-arrest/287g
- Detainer form (I-247A): https://www.ice.gov/doclib/secure-communities/pdf/immigration-detainer-form.pdf
- Notice to Appear (I-862) form link: https://www.uscis.gov/i-862
- The Markup’s tracker (non-government resource) draws from ICE datasets to monitor model types and new signatories.
Local sources, including the Metro Police Authority of Genesee County and Taylor Police Department, post statements and FAQs explaining how their officers apply 287(g) authority. As the program footprint grows, watch for local council debates, MOA revisions, and possible litigation that could shift implementation timelines.
Bottom line
What’s clear now in Flint is the balance officials are trying to strike. Chief Bade promises tight guardrails—no sweeps, no “seeking out”—while accessing federal tools the agency says are needed along busy corridors. Advocates warn that even limited field authority can spread fear beyond those corridors, reaching mixed-status families who might now think twice about calling for help.
The coming months will show whether the new agreement changes call patterns, arrest referrals to ICE, or cooperation with police—metrics that both supporters and critics will watch closely.
This Article in a Nutshell
Flint’s Metro Police joined ICE’s 287(g) Task Force in July 2025, training four officers. The field-based model allows status checks during routine stops, raising concerns about trust, profiling, and resource strains while officials promise limited, supervised use and oversight under a Memorandum of Agreement with ICE.
