Several law enforcement agencies in Galveston County, Texas, have formed a partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through the 287(g) program. This initiative enables local officers to undertake specific immigration enforcement actions under ICE’s supervision. Participating agencies include the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office, Constable Precincts 1, 2, and 4, as well as the League City police department.
The 287(g) program derives its name from a section of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which authorizes these collaborations between local law enforcement and federal agencies. Under this framework, state and local officers are empowered to investigate the immigration status of individuals, even if they have not been charged with any crimes in the United States.
Training and Implementation
According to Galveston County Sheriff Jimmy Fullen, a total of 28 deputies have completed a comprehensive 40-hour online training course to participate in this program, with an additional 30 deputies currently in training. The three participating Constables’ Offices have collectively trained another 14 deputy constables.
Constable Justin West noted that ICE agents have also provided on-site training in Galveston County, helping local law enforcement understand the questions they are permitted to ask during investigations. This collaboration aims to streamline immigration status investigations, allowing deputies to act more independently. Fullen remarked, “Our deputies can do the same thing federal agents were doing; this just expedites the situation so we’re not out on a scene or out on a traffic stop waiting on approval from the ICE agents.”
Data from the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office indicates that law enforcement has already transferred 648 individuals to ICE custody this year, in addition to 653 individuals held on ICE detainers in the local jail.
Types of Partnerships
The 287(g) program consists of three distinct partnership models: the Jail Enforcement model, the Task Force model, and the Warrant Service Officer program. The Galveston County jail has previously participated in the Jail Enforcement model, allowing officers to identify inmates who may be in the country illegally. The Warrant Service Officer program further enables local law enforcement to serve administrative warrants for individuals suspected of illegal residency.
Galveston County Judge Mark Henry emphasized that the focus of these operations is on individuals who pose a significant risk to public safety, stating, “They’re going after people who really need to be behind bars; they’re not going after the guy working in the back of the kitchen somewhere.”
The county has a history of engaging in immigration enforcement activities. Galveston County deputies have previously worked along the border as part of Governor Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star. Constable Blake Patton noted, “This is a further extension of Operation Lone Star and the things that we were doing down on the southern border assisting Border Patrol.”
Despite the increased enforcement capacity, officials maintain that participation in the 287(g) program will not detract from deputies’ regular duties. Fullen clarified, “We’re not going into workplaces, we are not going to places of worship, schools, trying to yank people out that we think are illegal. However, if we do come across them and we determine that they are in fact here illegally, we are going to process them and we are going to ship them back.”
While the League City police have five officers trained under the 287(g) program, other local agencies, including the City of Galveston, La Marque, and the Galveston County Precinct 3 Constable’s Office, have opted not to participate. Precinct 3 Constable Derrick Rose stated, “Being in the country is a civil issue, and not criminal. If there is a criminal complaint, we will enforce the law.”
As of September 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that ICE would fully reimburse participating agencies for the annual salary and benefits of each eligible trained 287(g) officer. Currently, ICE has established 958 agreements with local and state law enforcement agencies under the 287(g) program, reflecting the extensive reach of this immigration enforcement initiative.
