Partnerships between ICE and local police surge, report finds

Key Points:

• The number of state and local officers deputized through ICE's 287(g) program has more than doubled in the last eight months, reaching over 29,000 officers between January 2025 and October 2026, surpassing ICE's own deportation officers.
• The 287(g) program, originally created in the 1990s but expanded significantly under the Trump administration, allows local police to make immigration arrests in exchange for federal funding for equipment and resources.
• Florida and Texas account for about half of the 47,000 immigration arrests made through 287(g) from January 2025 to August 2026, with other states like Wyoming, New Hampshire, and Oklahoma also seeing significant enforcement increases.
• The expansion of 287(g) has had a chilling effect on immigrant communities, particularly in states like Oklahoma, where widespread participation by local police has led to increased fear and changes in daily behavior among immigrants.
• Financial incentives, including a $3 billion Justice Department fund and additional state funding, are a major factor driving the growth of 287(g) partnerships, with expectations of further expansion in the program.