Overview
- AP analysis of federal data shows more than 450 people were arrested by ICE at the Benton County Jail from Jan. 1 to Oct. 15, accounting for over 4% of 287(g) jail-program arrests nationwide.
- Local jail logs show ongoing activity with at least 42 ICE arrests in Northwest Arkansas since Nov. 10, and only seven of those individuals had state charges recorded in Arkansas.
- Benton County operates the 287(g) jail-enforcement model, enabling deputies to question booked inmates about immigration status, issue ICE warrants and hold people for transfer.
- ICE reports over 1,180 cooperation agreements with state and local agencies, up from 135 at the start of the administration, correlating with a rise in arrests tied to local partnerships.
- Community groups report frequent operations in Springdale and Tontitown and cite detentions of people without serious criminal records, including a lawful permanent resident held on an ICE detainer.