Latest news with #287(g
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Rhoden obtains ICE partnership with Highway Patrol
SIOUX FALLS S.D. (KELO) — The South Dakota Highway Patrol will now assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with their operations, a news release from the governor's office said. Both the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and Highway Patrol applied for a U.S. Immgration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) program called 287(g), which trains and certifies certain officers with specified immigration duties, with limitations and oversight depending on the agreement's terms. Paperwork filed for 2nd South Dakota gubernatorial candidate KELOLAND's Maddie Paul broke down the program's provisions after Rhoden announced his intention to obtain immigration authority for law enforcement last week. 'This Memorandum of Agreement will allow our Highway Patrol to assist ICE in the identification and apprehension of illegal aliens who may pose a risk to public safety in South Dakota,' Rhoden said in a news release. ICE activity increased in South Dakota, after agents arrested eight people in Madison at Manitou Equipment and Global Polymer Industries in May. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Wells Police pauses ICE agreement in light of pending legislation that would ban it
Wells resident Beth Allen speaks in opposition to the Wells Police Department contract with ICE during a Select Board meeting on May 6. (By Emma Davis/ Maine Morning Star) The only Maine police department that has contracted with federal authorities to assist with immigration enforcement is pausing its agreement to see if the Maine Legislature votes to ban such contracts. Wells Police Chief Jo-Ann Putnam announced Tuesday night during a Select Board meeting that her department is adopting a 'wait-and-see approach' to credentialing its officers under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's 287(g) program. 'This decision reflects the need to see how the legislation ends up playing out in Augusta,' Putnam said, referencing LD 1259, which had a public hearing on Monday. Two bills, LD 1259 and LD 1971, would prohibit state and local law enforcement agencies from carrying out the work of federal immigration authorities. LD 1259 would do so by explicitly prohibiting contracts with such authorities, while LD 1971 would place restrictions on enforcement activities absent formal agreements. Based on Putnam's brief comments at the meeting, it is unclear exactly what the pause means. Putnam could not be reached by the time of publication. In early May, she told Maine Morning Star that Wells officers had begun the training for the program, which is online. After the 287(g) program was discontinued in 2012 due to the discovery of discriminatory practices such as racial profiling, President Donald Trump revived it to bolster ICE's capacity by deputizing local police officers to detain immigrants, an authority otherwise generally reserved to federal authorities. Immigration enforcement hearing highlights lack of protocol for local, federal collaboration Putnam and Police Capt. Kevin Chabot previously told Maine Morning Star that they entered into the agreement to take advantage of a training opportunity and streamline work. On Tuesday night, Putnam said, 'I would like to reiterate one more time that at no point was there ever any intent on doing proactive immigration enforcement.' Wells remains the only local agency to have entered the program in Maine. Monmouth Winthrop Police Department, a combination of departments that serve central Maine communities, applied for the program but withdrew its application after community pushback. Community pushback in Wells is continuing in light of the pause. 'Our group, although appreciative of a pause, really is looking for Wells Police to withdraw from the contract,' Wells resident Peg Duddy told Maine Morning Star Wednesday morning. Duddy and other residents have been calling for termination of the agreement during Select Board meetings, including Tuesday night after Putnam announced the pause. The group has also been collecting signatures from Wells residents in favor of withdrawing and had more than 350 as of Wednesday morning, Duddy said. These residents have said they don't want their local force collaborating with an agency that has been accused of disregarding due process, for local police funding to go toward federal enforcement and possibly litigation, or for Wells to be known as an unwelcoming place for immigrants. However, other residents have commended local police for entering the federal partnership, showing that the matter has divided the community. The two bills heard on Monday come after Republican legislators presented a conflicting bill last month that would prevent local agencies from adopting any policies that restrict them from assisting in the enforcement of federal immigration law. None of these bills have received votes yet and there is only a month left until lawmakers are expected to conclude their work for the first year of Maine's two-year legislative session. One of the bill sponsors, Rep. Ambureen Rana (D-Bangor), told Maine Morning Star that the intention is for the Legislature to make its decisions on the issue this year. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Immigration enforcement hearing highlights lack of protocol for local, federal collaboration
Rep. Deqa Dhalac (D-South Portland) presents legislation to the Judiciary Committee on May 19 that would restrict the scope of immigration-related work of individual law enforcement officers and state employees. (Emma Davis/ Maine Morning Star) As some communities in Maine have clashed, with varying outcomes, over local police contracting with federal immigration authorities, legislators are pushing for new state laws that would make those decisions universal. On Monday, dozens of people packed the Maine Legislature's Judiciary Committee room, spilling into two overflow rooms, to testify largely in support of two bills proposed by Democrats that would restrict local authorities from carrying out federal immigration enforcement. For the most part, testimony for and against plans in Augusta mirrored the arguments that have been voiced in board meetings in a coastal community in Southern Maine. In April, the Wells Police Department became the first local agency in Maine to contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under what's called the 287(g) program, which has divided the community. After the 287(g) program was discontinued in 2012 due to the discovery of discriminatory practices such as racial profiling, President Donald Trump revived it to bolster ICE's capacity by deputizing local police officers to detain immigrants, an authority otherwise generally reserved to federal authorities. Wells community divided over ICE agreement with local police Participation is growing across the country. As of Monday, ICE had signed 588 agreements with agencies in 40 states. Six states have laws or policies that prohibit participation, according to ICE. Wells remains the only local agency in the program in Maine. Monmouth Winthrop Police Department, a combination of departments that serve central Maine communities, applied for the program but withdrew its application after community pushback. While immigration is a federal matter by law, work on the local level is key. An estimated 70% of ICE arrests nationwide over the past decade have been handoffs from state or local authorities. The effect of both bills, LD 1259 and LD 1971, would be to prohibit state and local law enforcement agencies from carrying out the work of federal immigration authorities. LD 1259 would do so by explicitly prohibiting contracts with such authorities, while LD 1971 would place restrictions on enforcement activities absent such formal agreements, which is the case for the majority of police departments in Maine that currently have local discretion regarding when to involve federal officials. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A fine point was placed on that subjectivity when Sen. Rachel Talbot Ross (D-Cumberland) questioned Kennebec County Sheriff Ken Mason, who testified against both bills on behalf of the Maine Sheriffs Association's Legislative Policy Committee, about general police protocols for when to involve federal agents, in light of a routine traffic stop in Waldo County leading to two immigration detentions. 'At what point in that dichotomy of events is the decision made to contact Border Patrol and why?' Talbot Ross asked. Mason responded, 'I have to rely on my deputies and the supervisors that are working the road that day to make a judgment call on if they believe they need to call somebody.' The text of LD 1259 is succinct. Sponsored by Rep. Ambureen Rana (D-Bangor), the legislation would prohibit state or local law enforcement agencies or officers from entering into contracts with federal immigration enforcement authorities. LD 1971, sponsored by Rep. Deqa Dhalac (D-South Portland), would restrict the scope of immigration-related work of individual law enforcement officers and state employees regardless of federal contracts. Specifically, LD 1971 would prohibit state and local law enforcement agencies from 'stopping, investigating, interrogating, arresting or detaining' a person for immigration enforcement purposes. This would include in response to a hold request, immigration detainer or administrative warrant issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. It would also prevent law enforcement from holding someone solely for immigration enforcement purposes for longer than 48 hours and establish clear protocols during custody, including requiring law enforcement to inform incarcerated people of their rights before an interview by an immigration authority. Home rule is wonderful until it comes to our constitutional rights, which our federal authorities are violating right now. – Ambureen Rana The bill specifies that it would not prohibit a law enforcement agency from arresting, detaining or performing other law enforcement duties due to reasons not solely based on the person's immigration status. Other than law enforcement, LD 1971 would prohibit state employees from inquiring into immigration status unless the inquiry is required by law or necessary to provide the service sought by the resident. Proponents say that allowing local police to carry out federal immigration enforcement would erode public trust and safety. Lisa Parisio, policy director at the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, Maine's only state-wide immigration legal services organization, said ILAP's clients have already reported that they've decided to not call the police when they wanted to out of fear for their own safety and that they are scared to continue serving as a witness in court. Some of their clients have also reported that they're not pursuing higher education out of fear of immigration enforcement, which Parisio described as a loss to Maine's future economy. Many who testified focused on cost. Proponents said the bills would protect local tax dollars from being strained to carry out federal responsibilities. Under 287(g) agreements, ICE is responsible for the cost of training and information technology infrastructure, however the local law enforcement agency bears all other costs, including personnel expenses such as salary and overtime, benefits and lawsuits, according to the general memorandum of understanding. Rep. Elizabeth Caruso (R-Caratunk) said she appreciated this local control argument but asked Rana, in that spirit, why not leave the decision of whether to contract with federal immigration authorities up to local communities? 'I believe that we shouldn't be tying the hands of our local law enforcement by allowing the federal government to pressure them into these agreements,' Rana responded. 'Home rule is wonderful until it comes to our constitutional rights, which our federal authorities are violating right now.' Many proponents also highlighted this latter point, that they do not want local police to be implicated with a federal agency that has been accused of disregarding due process. Immigration detention increase reveals expanded federal operations in Maine Auburn Police Chief Jason Moen, who testified against both bills on behalf of the Maine Chiefs of Police Association, said he reviewed information about the 287(g) program and decided against his department participating. However, he does not think the blanket ban on such agreements in Rana's bill is the right approach, nor the restrictions on cooperating with federal authorities for immigration matters in the other bill. 'It disrupts long standing partnerships among local, state and federal agencies and will prevent local law enforcement from exercising discretion in critical situations,' Moen said. Moen and Mason from the Maine Sheriffs Association were the only two people to testify against the bills on Monday. Other groups submitted testimony in opposition, including the Maine County Commissioners Association to LD 1259. The association's legislative policy committee co-chairs, Stephen Gordon and Jean-Marie Caterina, wrote that the legislation could put at risk federal funding that county jails receive to detain people accused of violating federal law. 'These funds help defray county jail operating costs, which is good for local property taxpayers who are asked to fund the great bulk of the cost of operating county jails,' they wrote. As Maine has seen an uptick in immigration detentions, some immigrants rights advocates have raised concern about the financial incentives prisons and jails have to assist with the Trump administration's goal of expanding space for immigration detention. The Democratic proposals come after Republicans presented a conflicting bill last month that would prevent local agencies from adopting any policies that restrict them from assisting in the enforcement of federal immigration law. None of these bills have received committee votes yet and there is only a month left until lawmakers are expected to conclude their work for the first year of Maine's two-year Legislative session. Rana told Maine Morning Star that the intention is for the Legislature to make its decisions on the topic this year. 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USA Today
12-05-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
ICE-Florida immigrant arrests top 1,100, set record. What countries the people are from
ICE-Florida immigrant arrests top 1,100, set record. What countries the people are from Show Caption Hide Caption Gov. Ron DeSantis holds immigration press event in Palm Beach County Gov. Ron DeSantis holds immigration Palm Beach County press event with Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, State Rep. Mike Caruso and FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass ICE and Florida law enforcement arrested 1,120 people during "Operation Tidal Wave," the largest joint immigration operation in Florida history. The operation involved collaboration with numerous local law enforcement agencies under the 287(g) program. Those arrested originated from various countries, including Guatemala, Mexico, and Honduras. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and local law enforcement arrested 1,120 people in Florida during a massive six-day sweep, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced. The effort that took place from April 21 through April 26, nicknamed "Operation Tidal Wave," was the largest joint immigration operation in Florida history and the largest number in a single state in one week in ICE's history, DeSantis said in a prepared statement on May 1. As many as 250 local and state law enforcement and National Guard resources were deployed, according to ICE deputy director Madison Sheahan at a May 1 news conference with federal immigration officials in a federal facility in southwest Broward County, under the authority of the 287(g) program. This ICE initiative allows local law enforcement agencies to help "identify and remove criminal aliens who are amenable to removal from the U.S." "This operation really is a historic marker of success that was made possible because of the partnership with the state of Florida," Sheehan said. Sheehan and DeSantis stressed during the press conference that 63% of the "criminal illegal aliens" were people with existing criminal arrests or convictions and listed notable arrests such as a Brazilian with a "history" of aggravated assault, a Mexican "whose history" includes kidnapping and a Colombian convicted of murder. Shock and anger: Florida immigrant communities react to 'Operation Tidal Wave' How many people were arrested in Florida in the ICE Operation Tidal Wave? According to DeSantis and federal officials, 1,120 people were arrested, including 378 with final orders of removal issued by an immigration judge. "Officers arrested various violent offenders, gang members, sex offenders, fugitives from justice and those who pose significant public safety threats," DeSantis said in a press release. The count also included members of foreign gangs and terrorist organizations such as MS-13, Tren de Aragua, Brown Pride Aztecas, Barrio Azteca, Surenos (sur-13) and 18th Street Gang, he said. "We will not stop until our American families and everyday Americans are safe in their own communities because we have zero tolerance for criminal illegal aliens," Sheahan said. When questioned about the other 27% of arrests for people without existing criminal arrests or convictions, Sheahan said that "everybody that is in this country illegally is a criminal," which could include people whose asylum cases and immigration claims are still being adjudicated. Critics have also pointed to multiple instances reported of mistaken identities, random sweeps, U.S. citizens sent out of the country, and people detained and shipped out without any criminal charges filed, trials, or ways to appeal. The most well-known is Kilmar Abrego Garcia of Maryland, who was picked up and sent to a prison in El Salvador without due process and kept there despite orders from a federal court and the Supreme Court to bring him back. On April 16, a Georgia native with an ID and Social Security card on him was arrested in Florida's Panhandle under a blocked Florida immigration law. The family of Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez presented his birth certificate to a judge, who agreed it was valid but said she had no power over his release. Lopez-Gomez was finally released after 30 hours in prison. Which countries did the people arrested in Operation Tidal Wave come from? The countries of origin of those arrested include the following, according to the governor's statement: 437 from Guatemala 280 from Mexico 153 from Honduras 48 from Venezuela 24 from El Salvador 178 from elsewhere Where did ICE and Florida law enforcement arrest immigrants in Operation Tidal Wave? Specifics of only a few arrests of people with criminal offenses were released, but ICE listed the following sheriff's offices as having provided "significant assistance to ICE" during the operation: Alachua County Baker County Brandford County Brevard County Clay County Hernando County Hillsborough County Indian River County Orange County Pinellas County St. John's County Sumter County Volusia County 'I've insisted that Florida be the tip of the spear when it comes to state support of federal immigration enforcement. The success of Operation Tidal Wave is proof of our commitment," DeSantis said Who is cooperating with ICE to find immigrants? What is the 287(g) program? State and local law enforcement partners have also been enlisted to help with federal immigration enforcement through the 287(g) program, an ICE initiative that allows local law enforcement agencies to help "identify and remove criminal aliens who are amenable to removal from the U.S.," according to ICE. "State troopers, local police officers, county sheriffs — they're our eyes and ears," Todd Lyons, the acting ICE director, told ABC News. "They encountered these criminal aliens out and about during their regular duties, and they're able to go ahead and identify those public safety threats for us." Nearly 230 Florida law enforcement agencies, including sheriff's offices, city police departments and college and university campus police, have signed 287(g) agreements, the most out of any state in the nation, according to a joint report by the Miami Herald and Tampa Bay Times. More than 130 of the currently active agreements are under the task force model, which allows law enforcement agencies to enforce limited immigration authority with ICE oversight, including questioning, arresting, and detaining people suspected of violating federal immigration laws.
Newsweek
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Sheriff Calls Out Trump Admin Over 'Intimidating' Police to Work With ICE
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A Colorado sheriff accused President Donald Trump's administration of using "intimidation" to force police to work with federal immigration authorities. On April 28, Trump signed an executive order directing Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem to publish a list of states and local jurisdictions "that obstruct the enforcement of Federal immigration laws." "This executive order is an attempt to federalize, by intimidation, the San Miguel County Sheriff's Office to do the current administration's bidding on their political cause of the day," San Miguel County Sheriff Bill Masters said in a statement on Friday. Newsweek has contacted the Department of Homeland Security and Masters' office for comment via email. President Donald Trump signing an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on February 3. President Donald Trump signing an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on February 3. Evan Vucci/AP Why It Matters Trump, who has vowed to carry out the largest mass deportation program in U.S. history, has pledged to deploy state and federal law enforcement agencies to assist his plans. Under the 287(g) program, law enforcement agencies are authorized to question and detain individuals suspected of violating immigration laws. Local police officers who are deputized through agreements such as the 287(g) program are granted authority to enforce federal immigration laws. These partnerships facilitate direct collaboration between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, often resulting in more coordinated enforcement actions and immigration sweeps within communities. What To Know The Department of Justice said on Friday that it had filed a lawsuit against the state of Colorado, the city of Denver and specific officials it alleged enforced "sanctuary laws" that hindered federal immigration efforts. Denver's mayor and Colorado's governor have denied the existence of such laws. "I strongly support the investigation of and arrest of all persons, regardless of their citizenship or immigration status, who commit serious crimes. Over the past 50 years, I have arrested dozens of undocumented persons and at times their human smugglers, sometimes by the van load," Masters said. He added that the San Miguel County Sheriff's Office collaborated with federal law enforcement partners in accordance with the limits set by Colorado law. The president's new order calls for pursuing "all necessary legal remedies and enforcement measures" against jurisdictions that continue to oppose the administration's immigration crackdown. The order maintains that federal immigration laws supersede state legislation, arguing that continued resistance from state and local authorities on immigration matters could jeopardize national security and potentially violate federal law. Jurisdictions found to be noncompliant may face the loss of federal funding and contracts. However, legal challenges have curtailed the administration's efforts to strip funding from sanctuary cities. In recent years, federal courts have consistently ruled against attempts to penalize jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. In April, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction halting the White House's plan to cut funding to certain cities—including San Francisco, Portland and Seattle—citing constitutional concerns over separation of powers and executive overreach. Masters expressed concern that increased federal involvement in local law enforcement could set a dangerous precedent for future administrations on either side of the political spectrum. "As concerned as I am regarding federalization of local peacekeepers for immigration enforcement, I also see this current attempt as opening the door for future administrations to consider requiring local Sheriffs to enforce federal laws to arrest firearm owners, political opponents, protestors, etc.," he said. What People Are Saying San Miguel County Sheriff Bill Masters said in a statement on May 2: "To this day, the Sheriff's Office cooperates within the confines of Colorado law with our federal partners, and vigorously investigates and arrests those persons who have active arrest warrants issued for their detention that have been reviewed, approved, and signed by a judge as Colorado law and the U.S. Constitution require." White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on April 28: "It's quite simple: Obey the law, respect the law, and don't obstruct federal immigration officials and law enforcement officials when they are simply trying to remove public safety threats from our nation's communities. "The American public don't want illegal alien criminals in their communities. They made that quite clear on November 5, and this administration is determined to enforce our nation's immigration laws." What Happens Next Masters, who announced his retirement earlier this year, is set to leave his post by June. He said in Friday's statement, "Although I am Sheriff of this great county for only another 30 days, I want to assure our local residents that during my short remaining tenure, I will follow Colorado law and not permit the federal government to use my office for political purposes."
