New Program Will Exempt Police From Sanctuary-Detainer Restrictions

The Trump Administration announced a new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) program designed for local law-enforcement agencies that want to honor immigration detainers but are prohibited from doing so under state and/or local sanctuary policies. According to a press release, ICE created the Warrant Service Officer (WSO) program at the request of the National Sheriffs’ Association and the Major County Sheriffs of America.

“Policies that limit cooperation with ICE undermine public safety, prevent the agency from executing its federally mandated mission and increase the risks for officers forced to make at-large arrests in unsecure locations,” said Acting ICE Director Matthew Albence. “The WSO program will protect communities from criminal aliens who threaten vulnerable populations with violence, drugs and gang activity by allowing partner jurisdictions the flexibility to make immigration arrests in their jail or correctional facility.”

After a jurisdiction signs a Memorandum of Agreement with ICE, it will nominate officers who will be trained to perform WSO functions. The officers will be responsible for serving administrative warrants and arresting targeted aliens at jails or correctional facilities where they work. ICE will then have 48 hours to pick up aliens. ICE will supervise the WSO process, and pay for the cost of training local officers.

In addition to partnering with law-enforcement agencies in sanctuary jurisdictions, the program will serve rural jurisdictions that lack the budget and personnel resources to become 287(g) partners.