5 Minnesota Sheriffs Sign Immigration Enforcement Agreements with ICE
Five sheriff’s offices in Minnesota have entered into formal agreements with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), allowing them to assist with federal immigration enforcement efforts despite the state’s widespread sanctuary policies.
The sheriff’s offices in the Cass, Crow Wing, Freeborn, Itasca, and Jackson counties have signed 287g agreements with ICE after resident Donald Trump took office. Under the agreement, ICE delegates certain immigration enforcement powers to local agencies, enabling them to help identify and process illegal immigrants in custody who are eligible for deportation.
The agreement also includes a “task force model” provision that allows local law enforcement to act as a “force multiplier” in support of ICE operations, according to a report by the Sahan Journal. Local officers are eligible to attend 40-hour ICE training sessions under the program.
The move comes as Minnesota remains a stronghold for sanctuary policies, with the Center for Immigration Studies reporting that 12 counties in the state have rules limiting cooperation with ICE. The recent additions bring the total number of Minnesota sheriff’s offices participating in 287g agreements to seven, including Sherburne and Kandiyohi counties.
According to the Sahan Journal, the agreements have already led to a rise in immigration-related detentions. A deputy at the Freeborn County jail confirmed there has “definitely” been an “uptick” in immigration inmates.
The program, however, has received some backlash. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison spoke out against the agreements, cautioning local agencies to consider the ramifications.
“While 287g agreements are sometimes touted as a tool for getting violent offenders off the street, studies have shown that large numbers of people detained through 287g-related enforcement have committed only misdemeanors or traffic violations,” a spokesperson for Ellison’s office told the outlet.
