INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WOWO) — Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita says his office has entered into a partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under a federal program that allows participating state and local law enforcement officers to perform certain immigration enforcement duties.
Rokita announced the Section 287(g) agreement Wednesday and is calling on all 92 Indiana county sheriffs to enter similar agreements with ICE.
Under Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, ICE can enter written agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies that authorize designated officers to perform specific immigration functions. Participating officers receive training and operate under ICE supervision and direction.
Rokita says the agreement with his office will give state investigators additional authority to work alongside federal immigration officials.
He also says broader participation by Indiana sheriffs could provide local agencies with additional law enforcement resources and access to federal funding opportunities.
“Partnering with federal law enforcement is a key part of how we deport illegal aliens under the FAIRNESS Act, which we helped write and support,” Rokita said in a news release.
“A 287(g) agreement with ICE does exactly that—giving our investigators greater ability to work side by side with them and take stronger action to protect Hoosiers.”
Rokita said six of Indiana’s 92 county sheriffs had signed similar agreements at the time of his announcement. Reports later indicated that number had increased to seven.
The attorney general is urging the Indiana Sheriffs’ Association to encourage participation statewide.
“By the way, every county sheriff across the state should be—and can be—doing what we’re doing,” Rokita said. “And what sheriffs across the nation are doing.”
Rokita said participation in the program would not replace the responsibilities of local law enforcement.
“Agreements like these do not take away from local law enforcement; they only add to their ability to keep communities safe,” he said.
He also said the agreements could create opportunities for agencies to seek federal funding for public safety efforts, which he said could help reduce pressure on local property taxpayers.
The 287(g) program allows federal immigration authorities to work with state and local law enforcement agencies. The federal government retains primary responsibility for enforcing federal immigration law, while participating local officers can receive authorization to perform specific immigration functions covered by their agreements.
The scope of that authority depends on the individual agreement and federal requirements governing the program. Participating officers must receive training in applicable federal immigration law and operate under ICE oversight.
The program has become part of a broader national debate over how much state and local law enforcement agencies should participate in federal immigration enforcement.
Federal officials say 287(g) agreements allow qualified state and local officers to assist with certain immigration enforcement functions, including investigating, apprehending and detaining individuals under the terms of their agreements with the federal government.
Rokita has connected Indiana’s participation to the state’s FAIRNESS Act, a law he has supported. He says cooperation with ICE is an important part of Indiana’s approach to immigration enforcement.
The attorney general also challenged sheriffs who have not joined the program.
“The fact that only six of our 92 sheriffs have signed an agreement like this shows there are missed opportunities for Indiana to enhance the tools they have to protect and serve,” Rokita said.
“The Indiana Sheriffs’ Association should be working to make sure all 92 offices are in this program.”
Rokita urged Hoosiers to ask their county officials about participation in the program.
“If your elected official is not partnering with ICE through 287(g), you should ask them directly why that is,” he said.
The Indiana Attorney General’s Office says the attorney general serves as the state’s chief legal officer. The office represents Indiana and its agencies in state and federal litigation and oversees other law enforcement and consumer protection functions.
The announcement comes as immigration enforcement remains a significant issue for federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
For Indiana counties considering a 287(g) agreement, the program would establish a formal framework for designated local officers to perform specific immigration enforcement functions in cooperation with ICE. It would not transfer general federal immigration authority to local police or sheriffs.
