Immigration Law

Standardized Agreements - ICE and State and Local Law Enforcement

By Robert Kraft

Just announced today, a standardized agreement was developed in an effort to ensure uniformity between 67 state and local law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The agreement is in response to program 287(g) initiated this summer in an effort to improve public safety and enhance ICE's presence with local law enforcement agency's by identifying criminal aliens who are a threat to local communities, and removing these criminal aliens. Standardized Memorandums of Agreement (MOAs) outlines the objectives of the 287(g) program, and provides guidelines for ICE's supervision of local agency officer operations. In an effort to facilitate accountability, the MOA was initiated to ensure all participating jurisdictions are following uniform standards throughout the nation. Currently, the MOA fall into various categories. There are 55 agreements signed by ICE and the partnering agency; 12 agreements have been reached and await approval by the local jurisdiction's supervisory authority; and 6 agreements have negotiations underway. More information regarding MOA and 287(g) is available at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's website at www.ice.gov

Full post as published by Immigration Law Answers Blog on October 16, 2009 (boomark / email).