287(g) is the legal loophole ICE uses to turn local police into immigration agents. It refers to Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act — a program that allows ICE to sign agreements with local law enforcement, giving sheriffs and police departments the power to detain and process people for immigration violations.

How It Works

• ICE signs a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with a sheriff’s office or police department.
• Local officers are trained by ICE and authorized to perform certain immigration enforcement functions.
• This includes questioning individuals about their status, placing detainers, and initiating removal proceedings.

Why It’s Dangerous

• Local jails become extension arms of ICE.
• It blurs the line between public safety and federal enforcement.
• Undocumented people stop reporting crimes or showing up to court out of fear.
• It invites racial profiling and abuse of power.

Who Uses It

• As of 2025, dozens of jurisdictions across the U.S. have active 287(g) agreements.
• Some of the most aggressive are in Texas, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina.
• Many of these sheriffs are openly anti-immigrant and use the program as political theater.

The Legal Fiction

ICE claims 287(g) increases “cooperation” and “efficiency.” What it really does is bypass oversight. Officers working under 287(g) operate in a gray zone — they act with federal authority but without federal accountability.

Community Response

• Grassroots organizers have successfully pressured cities and counties to end 287(g) agreements.
• Lawsuits have been filed over illegal detainers, wrongful arrests, and constitutional violations.

Why We Track It

Every 287(g) agreement creates a network node of ICE enforcement. We track them by:

• Listing which jurisdictions have signed on
• Linking incidents of abuse to participating departments
• Following funding trails to see who profits

If your sheriff’s office is part of 287(g), they’ve chosen a side. And we’ll name them for it.