Two more law enforcement agencies in North Alabama have joined the 287(g) program, a partnership between local police and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This program allows local officers to help enforce federal immigration laws.
According to ICE, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office and the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office have now signed agreements to participate in this program. This brings the total number of participating Alabama agencies to five.
The 287(g) program gives local officers the authority to identify, process, and detain undocumented immigrants within their jails. These officers receive special training from ICE and work under its supervision.
However, they do not perform street-level immigration enforcement like ICE agents. Their work mainly takes place inside jails or detention centers.
This move has sparked different reactions. Supporters of the program believe it strengthens public safety by helping remove undocumented immigrants who are accused or convicted of crimes. But critics argue it can lead to racial profiling, broken trust between immigrant communities and police, and increased fear among undocumented families.
Sheriff Matt Gentry of Cullman County said the program will help keep the community safer. He added that the partnership gives his office more tools to deal with individuals who are in the country illegally and have committed crimes.
In Madison County, Sheriff Kevin Turner also expressed strong support for the program. He said that his office is committed to working with federal partners to enforce immigration laws in a responsible and legal way.
The 287(g) program has been around since 1996 but became more widely used in the 2000s. Today, more than 140 law enforcement agencies across the U.S. are enrolled in some form of the program.
While the new agreements have been officially signed, officers from the two Alabama agencies still need to complete ICE’s training before the program becomes fully active in their jails.
The expansion of the 287(g) program comes at a time when immigration remains a key issue across the country. Both local and national leaders continue to debate how to best handle immigration enforcement and border control.