President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration is planning mass deportations, with local law enforcement agencies poised to increase their participation in the controversial 287(g) program, which allows them to assist in enforcing federal immigration law. Tom Homan, Trump’s “border czar,” has vowed to ramp up deportation efforts, claiming that plans are already in place to secure the nation. The 287(g) program, established in 1996, permits state and local law enforcement officers to perform immigration-related functions after an individual has been arrested for other charges. Supporters argue that the program targets undocumented immigrants only once they have committed crimes, rather than conducting random street checks. Despite ICE reporting participation by law enforcement agencies in 21 states, the program faces opposition from critics who believe it fosters fear in immigrant communities and amounts to racial profiling. Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler of Harford County, Maryland, defends the program, emphasizing that it targets those who have broken the law. However, debate persists within ICE itself on the program’s efficacy, particularly in less populated areas. Trump’s emphasis on requiring local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement has raised concerns among some Democrats, leading to resistance measures in some regions. As the incoming administration prepares to implement mass deportation efforts, a clash is expected with elected officials in cities like Los Angeles and Denver who have vowed to oppose such measures. The 287(g) program will likely expand under Trump, with corrections officers foreseeing increased activity in the coming years.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com
