Fwd.us: Analysis Shows That ICE Has Deputized More Than 13,000 Local Law Enforcement Officers, and Promised Billions in Funding to Local Agencies Through Expanded 287(g) Program
ICE has deputized 13,000 local law enforcement officers that ICE has deputized in the second Trump administration, representing a more than 900% increase in Immigration & Nationality Act Section 287(g) agreements, according to a new analysis from FWD.us.
The brief released by FWD.us shows that participation in ICE’s 287(g) program has increased by over 900% in the second Trump administration. Over 760 local law enforcement agencies have signed up, "deputizing between 13,800 and 15,800 police officers and sheriff’s deputies with immigration enforcement powers compared to 12,000 new employees hired by ICE in the same period." (bold in original).
NPR discusses the expansion of federal immigration enforcement, driven by the growth of the 287(g) program. In 2019, during Trump's first term, local police agencies signed just 45 287(g) agreements. As of Feb. 13, ICE reported 1,412 active agreements across 40 states and territories — signing over 1,130 of them in 2025 alone.
NPR looks at how the 287g program works:
"➡️ The jail enforcement model of the program involves local authorities checking everyone entering jail with criminal convictions or pending charges for legal U.S. status. If they are in the country illegally, ICE will be notified, and they will be held in jail pending ICE removal.
➡️ The warrant service officer model, similarly to the jail enforcement model, allows police to execute administrative warrants on migrants in their jails.
➡️ The task force model of the program allows officers to stop, question and make arrests for immigration violations. This model makes up the majority of 287(g) agreements in place, according to ICE data.
➡️ The Department of Homeland Security says task force model training includes 40 hours of education on immigration law, ICE's Use of Force policy, civil rights law and more. Previously, local police needed about a month of training to obtain certification."
