Thread: Updated Facts on ICE's 287(g) Program

I.C.E. News Release

April 12, 2010

Updated Facts on ICE's 287(g) Program

Summary
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) conducted a review of the 287(g) delegation of authority program during the period, February 2009 through July 2009, and published its findings in March 2010. However, it is important to note that in mid-July 2009, ICE asked all of its partnering agencies to sign revised memorandums of agreement that improved oversight, management and communication of the program.

The Office of the Inspector General report does not reflect the current 287(g) program, which is managed by ICE's Office of State and Local Coordination (OSLC).

Since the audit was conducted, ICE has fundamentally reformed the 287(g) program, strengthening public safety and ensuring consistency in immigration enforcement across the country by prioritizing the arrest and detention of criminal aliens — fulfilling many of the report's recommendations.

Quick Stats
•More than 1,120 officers have been trained and certified.
•ICE has 71 active agreements in 26 states.

To reform the 287(g) program overall, ICE:
•Implemented comprehensive guidelines for ICE field offices that supervise 287(g) partnerships, prioritizing the arrest and detention of criminal aliens.
•Now requires 287(g) officers to maintain comprehensive alien arrest, detention, and removal data in order to ensure operations focused on criminal aliens, who pose the greatest risk to public safety and community.
•Strengthened the 287(g) basic training course and created a refresher training course, providing detailed instruction on the terms of the new MOA and the responsibilities of a 287(g) officer.
•Deployed additional supervisors to the field to ensure greater oversight over 287(g) operations.
•Established an Internal Advisory Committee, which includes the DHS Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, to review and assess ICE field office recommendations about pending 287(g) applications.

The Revised 287(g) MOA:
•Requires local law enforcement agencies to pursue all criminal charges that originally caused the offender to be taken into custody.
•Requires all 287(g) officer candidates be confirmed as eligible and qualified before gaining access to ICE databases.
•Requires participating agencies to inform ICE of all complaints regarding their 287(g) officers, as well as the outcome of those complaints.
•Provides flexibility to address issues of local concern, such as state and local laws or other specific needs of a particular agency.

Oversight and Supervision
•ICE has increased its human capital resources to enhance 287(g) program's mission and objectives and implemented national training conferences for ICE field personnel and Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) supervisors. Moreover, these training conferences will be reinforced through supplemental training handbooks for LEAs and implementation of standard operating procedures for areas identified in the OIG report.
•ICE Detention and Removal Operations (DRO) announced 12 full time supervisory positions; expected to be filled by FY11.
•ICE Office of Investigations (OI) plans to announce 10 full time supervisory positions; expected to be filled by FY11.
•Training conferences for ICE 287(g) field representatives – provide training on mission critical areas; discuss best practices and lessons learned.
•Training conferences for LEA 287(g) supervisors – provide education and training on mission critical areas; discuss best practices and lessons learned.

Outreach and Communications
•ICE restructured OSLC to establish an outreach and communications component in February 2010 to provide public education, building and maintaining transparent partnerships with LEAs, external stakeholders, NGOs and community leaders. The core mission of the outreach and communications include efforts to:
•Establish and facilitate steering committees in each 287(g) jurisdiction with set mission, objectives, and responsibilities.
•Build, foster and strengthen communications with internal and external stakeholder groups and community leaders.
•Coordinate federal intergovernmental communications to provide effective oversight, supervision and management of the 287(g) program.

Benefits
•By working together, local and federal officers can better identify and remove criminal aliens – which is a tremendous benefit to public safety.
•One of the biggest benefits to our 287(g) partners is that they are able to better identify who they have in custody.

Racial profiling
•Racial profiling is simply not something that will be tolerated; and any indication of racial profiling will be treated with the utmost scrutiny and fully investigated. If any proof of racial profiling is uncovered, that specific officer or department could have their agreement rescinded.
•In addition to the training these officers receive from their local departments, the 287(g) training includes coursework on multicultural communication and the avoidance of racial profiling.

287(g) Training Programs
•ICE continues to review, assess and improve the existing 287(g) basic course as well as the 287(g) refresher course to address issue areas identified in the OIG report through coordination with internal and external stakeholders.
•ICE offers a four-week training program for local officers.
•The training includes coursework in immigration law, how to use ICE databases, multi-cultural communication and the avoidance of racial profiling.
•The training is conducted at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center's Charleston South Carolina campus.

287(g) budget information
•FY 2006 - $5 million
•FY 2007 - $15 million (5.4 million plus an additional $10.09 million as the result of a supplemental appropriation.)
•FY 2008 - $42.1 million
•FY 2009 - $54 million
•FY 2010 - $68 million

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

ICE comprises four integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities. For more information, visit www.ICE.gov. To report suspicious activity, call 1-866-347-2423.

Last Modified: Monday, April 12, 2010
U.S. Department of Homeland Security

http://www.ice.gov/pi/news/factsheets/s ... reform.htm

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't it sound like illegals will not be apprehended and/or detained unless they have a criminal record or have committed a serious crime? To me it sounds like more de facto amnesty being handed out by the Obama's minions.

Originally Posted by MW

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't it sound like illegals will not be apprehended and/or detained unless they have a criminal record or have committed a serious crime? To me it sounds like more de facto amnesty being handed out by the Obama's minions. :roll:

The purpose of the 287(g) program is to identify illegal aliens when they are booked into jail and/or prison. Nothing in the 287(g) program prevents agents from apprehending any illegal alien that could be apprehended under any other program or law. If they aren't apprehended it is because of policy decisions made higher up, not because of anything in the 287(g) program.

JohnDoe wrote:

The purpose of the 287(g) program is to identify illegal aliens when they are booked into jail and/or prison. Nothing in the 287(g) program prevents agents from apprehending any illegal alien that could be apprehended under any other program or law. If they aren't apprehended it is because of policy decisions made higher up, not because of anything in the 287(g) program.

I'm not a rookie in this game, JohnDoe. I know what the original intent of the 287(g) program was. Obviously there have been some policy changes now that a priority has been placed on the so-called criminal aliens. Personally, I think they are all criminals.

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with setting priorities. However, I'm afraid individuals with minor charges and no previous criminal record will be released because ICE won't accept them for deportation.