News articles documenting 287(g) program in Texas - Texas Jail Project

287(g) news across Texas

Local and state police are joining Trump’s “Deportation Force”. D’Annunzio, F. (2025, February 27).Texas Observer. Retrieved from https://www.texasobserver.org/local-state-police-ice-287g-task-force/.

President Obama ended the 287(g) Task Force Model program in 2012 after lawsuits and federal investigations found that the program unlawfully targeted and racially profiled Latino
Trump revived the 287(g) task force model program in January 2025 and invoked a legal provision that allows the federal government to deputize local law enforcement to carry out immigration enforcement
At the time of this article, the Texas Office of the Attorney General, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, and the Goliad County Sheriff’s Office had signed Task Force Model agreements with ICE, which included the power to:
- “Interrogate any alien or person believed to be an alien as to his right to be or remain in the United States”
- Arrest without a warrant anyone the officer believes “is in the United States in violation of law and is likely to escape before a warrant can be obtained”
- Execute warrants for immigration violations; and prepare immigration charging documents.

As immigrant arrests rise, here’s what to know about ICE operations in Texas. Deguzman, C. (2026, January 19). Texas Tribune. Retrieved from https://www.texastribune.org/2026/01/19/texas-immigration-ice-arrests-raids-police/

A new state law passed in the 2025 legislative session requires sheriffs in all counties with a jail to enter into 287g agreements
Since Trump returned to the White House, more than half of ICE arrests in Texas have come from local jails

Deputized for disaster. American Civil Liberties Union. (2026, March 23). Retrieved from https://www.aclu.org/publications/deputized-for-disaster

The 287(g) program has massively expanded during the second Trump administration, with at least 77.2 million people — 32 percent of the country — now living in a county with a local law enforcement agency that has enlisted in ICE’s program
In ICE-led operations, abusive tactics — including excessive use of force and racial profiling — spread from federal agents to local police
The 287(g) program draws state and local police away from the needs of communities
- The 287(g) program causes officers to neglect critical public safety needs, as they redeploy their already-limited time and resources to federal immigration enforcement.
- The program changes the way communities live — people avoid going to work, taking children to school, and interacting with police or the government entirely, even when they are the victims of crimes including domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.

ICE warrants were central to Abbott’s immigration dispute with Texas cities. Here’s how they work. Nguyen, A (2026, May 1). The Texas Tribune. Retrieved from https://www.texastribune.org/2026/05/01/texas-police-ice-administrative-warrant-abbott-explainer/

In April 2026, Abbott’s office threatened to withdraw public safety funding from Houston, Dallas and Austin — unless they revised their ICE policies. The cities complied
As of April 27, 2026, 375 agreements had been signed with state, county and local law enforcement across Texas.
More than 140 agencies have signed the warrant model. Some also hold multiple partnerships, including the task force model that lets officers question individuals about their immigration status during routine police work.

ICE is giving local police big money to help with immigration enforcement. NPR Morning Edition. Anderson, M. (2026, May 5). Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2026/05/05/nx-s1-5805996/ice-pays-local-police-incentives-immigration

Nationwide, the Department of Homeland Security is promising $100,000 for new vehicles and potentially tens of thousands more in equipment to law enforcement agencies who sign on.
It also says it will reimburse the salaries and benefits of officers in the program – and touts the potential for bonuses based on an officer’s success in finding undocumented people, similar to a bounty hunter system.
If every police agency receives what DHS promised, the total could amount to as much as $2 billion in 2026 alone.
Smith County Sheriff’s Office received more than $340,000 from DHS for new equipment and a Chevy Silverado, according to records the department sent.

Smith County approves program giving sheriff’s deputies ability to enforce limited immigration authority. Holland, B. (2025 March 4). KLTV. Retrieved from https://www.kltv.com/2025/03/05/smith-county-approves-program-giving-sheriffs-deputies-ability-enforce-limited-immigration-authority/

Deputies who’ve received mandatory training will have the “power and authority to interrogate any alien or person believed to be an alien as to his right to remain in the United States and to process for immigration violations those individuals who have been arrested for State or Federal criminal offenses.”

ICE agents conducting operations in Smith County. KLTV Digital Media Staff and Holland, B. (2025 November 11). KLTV. Retrieved from https://www.kltv.com/2025/11/06/ice-agents-conducting-operations-smith-county/

ICE agents from across the country are conducting operations in Smith County with assistance from the Smith County Sheriff’s Office.
In November 2025, Smith County Sheriff said 32 of his officers had been trained and were able to take people into custody for ICE.

Smith County commissioners vote 4-1 to seek immigration enforcement grant funding. Holland, B. (2026 January 13). KLTV. Retrieved from https://www.kltv.com/2026/01/14/smith-county-commissioners-back-sheriffs-immigration-enforcement-grant-request/

The Smith County Commissioners Court voted 4-1 to allow the sheriff’s office to apply for state grant money for immigration enforcement. The funding would be in addition to federal reimbursement.
The grant program was established through Texas Senate Bill 8 to support sheriffs who have entered into agreements with ICE. Based on Smith County’s population, Sheriff Larry Smith’s office is eligible for $100,000.

Bullard City Council votes unanimously to join ICE 287 (g) task force model program KLTV Digital Media Staff & Pierdant, A (2025, December 09)