Trump Plans Sweeping Expansion of Local Sheriffs’ Role in Immigration Enforcement

The incoming administration aims to revive controversial policies to empower sheriffs in mass deportation efforts, raising concerns over civil rights and community trust.

• President-elect Donald Trump intends to expand the 287(g) program, allowing local sheriffs to act as immigration agents, including questioning and detaining suspected undocumented immigrants during routine duties.
• The plan involves reviving the discontinued task force model, enabling officers to make immigration stops and arrests, which was phased out in 2012 due to controversy.
• Supporters argue the expansion will strengthen deportation efforts and deter illegal immigration, while critics warn it could lead to racial profiling and erode trust in law enforcement.
• Many conservative sheriffs have expressed strong support for the initiative, aligning with Trump’s agenda, though some jurisdictions, particularly in sanctuary cities, oppose collaboration with ICE.
• Trump’s team is also considering financial incentives for jurisdictions that cooperate and withholding federal funds from those that resist, intensifying the political divide over immigration policy.

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