Local law enforcement agencies are gearing up to increase their participation in the controversial 287(g) program as President-elect Donald Trump’s administration plans for mass deportations. This program allows state and local law enforcement officers to partner with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to enforce federal immigration law. The new administration aims to launch what they call the largest deportation effort in U.S. history.
Supporters of the 287(g) program argue that it does not involve rounding up undocumented immigrants on the streets, but rather focuses on enforcement within jails or detention centers once a suspect has been arrested for other charges. Harford County, Maryland, Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler is a proponent of the program, believing that local law enforcement should help enforce immigration laws. Another supporter is Samuel Page, the sheriff of Rockingham County, North Carolina.
Critics of the 287(g) program, including the ACLU, argue that it leads to racial profiling and instills fear in immigrant communities. There is also debate within ICE about whether the program is effective, with some questioning if the effort to train officers is worth the results. Despite this, the program has continued to be contentious, with Democrats moving to cancel agreements in various parts of the country.
As the Trump administration plans to expand the 287(g) program and launch mass deportations, clashes are expected with Democrats and local officials who are vowing to defy federal immigration enforcement efforts. The stage is set for a potential clash between federal and local authorities once the new administration takes office.
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