U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is urging law enforcement agencies across the country to join the federal 287(g) program to assist with immigration enforcement around the country.
Participating agencies receive free training, access to resources, potential federal grant funding, and direct collaboration with the Trump administration to identify and remove violent criminals who are in the country illegally—many of whom are already in local or state custody, The Center Square reported, adding that law enforcement agencies in nearly all states are already on board.
The program is named after Section 287(g)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1996 (8 USC 1357), which allows ICE to delegate certain immigration enforcement authorities to state and local law enforcement officers, under ICE’s direction and supervision. Agencies can apply to participate under one of three models: the Jail Enforcement Model (JEM), the Task Force Model (TFM), or the Warrant Service Officer (WSO) model, the report said.
As of Friday, ICE reported a record 635 Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs) have been signed under the 287(g) program across 40 states, with the number continuing to grow daily.
These agreements include 100 Jail Enforcement Model (JEM) partnerships in 25 states, 228 Warrant Service Officer (WSO) agreements in 31 states, and 307 Task Force Model (TFM) agreements in 30 states.
ICE also has 68 additional 287(g) applications pending review, consisting of 7 JEMs, 18 WSOs, and 43 TFMs, according to the latest data cited by The Center Square.
Florida leads the nation in the number of agencies that have signed Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs) under the 287(g) program. It is the only state where every county sheriff’s office—all 67—participates in at least one 287(g) model, with many counties involved in all three.
Florida also has the highest number of state-level agencies enrolled in the program, including the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Florida Highway Patrol, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida National Guard, Florida State Guard, and the departments of Environmental Protection, Financial Services, Lottery Services, as well as the Division of Alcohol, Beverages and Tobacco, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the Gaming Control Commission, the outlet reported.
Florida has the highest number of police departments—approximately 90—that have signed MOAs with ICE under the 287(g) program, including the Departments of Public Safety in Indian River Shores and Jupiter Island.
It is also the only state where universities are participating. Additionally, Florida is the only state with a participating county board of commissioners—Pasco County being the first in the nation to do so, said the outlet.
Florida also leads in airport participation, with police departments at Melbourne International Airport and Sanford Airport being the first in the country to join the program, the report added.
The rise in local police participation with ICE comes after Border Czar Tom Homan strongly suggested last month that officials in so-called “sanctuary cities” could be in danger of being arrested by federal immigration authorities for allegedly “harboring” illegal aliens.
Homan was interacting with a reporter outside the White House when he was asked about President Donald Trump’s executive order signed earlier this week in which he threatened to defund migrant sanctuaries. “Why not just arrest the leaders who are harboring and shielding illegal aliens — actually, terrorists — from deportation?”
With a slight smile on his face, Homan paused for a moment and said: “Wait ’til you see what’s coming.”
WATCH:
🚨 JUST IN: Tom Homan was asked “why not just arrest [sanctuary city] leaders who are harboring and shielding illegals from deportation?”
HOMAN: “Wait until you see what’s coming!”
LFG! PERP WALK ‘EM! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/pazInDmfWh
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) May 1, 2025
Homan has been warning since before Trump’s inauguration that not only is the administration serious about mass deportations, but that anyone who is aiding and abetting the harboring of people in the country illegally should expect to be held responsible for it.