Local police-ICE partnerships increase nearly 1000% in Trump's first year

A new analysis by advocacy group FWD.us revealed Monday that partnerships between local police departments and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have expanded significantly during President Donald Trump's first yearback in office, with an impressive 950% increase. The report notes that part of the success is due to a reinstated "task force" initiative that President Donald Trump's administration has created, urging municipal police forces and sheriff's offices to join in. That initiative authorizes trained local officers to perform certain federal immigration enforcement functions, including detaining and arresting people suspected of being in the country illegally.

The program had been discontinued in 2012 under the administration of former Democratic President Barack Obama after law enforcement agencies in Maricopa County, Arizona, and Alamance County, North Carolina, faced allegations of racial profiling linked to their involvement. After returning to the White House for a second term, Trump revived the initiative, supported by funding from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. As various media outlets have reported, ICE is now offering financial incentives to participating agencies, including $7,500 per trained officer for equipment, $100,000 for vehicles and overtime compensation of up to 25% of an agent's salary. As a result, departments that are part of the program could collectively receive between $1.4 billion and $2 billion this year.

Cooperative agreements were far, far fewer during the Biden era.

According to the published analysis, many police departments across the country have expressed interest in participating, sending officers to receive training aimed at supporting the administration's broader deportation strategy. The report notes that the administration's strategy has proven to be a success, especially when compared to what was seen during the administration of former Democratic President Joe Biden, considering that during that period there were only 135 active cooperative agreements, a number that rose to 1,168 during this new presidency.

As noted by FWD.us, which has opposed deportation campaigns by criticizing what it described as ICE's "brutality and violence," several agencies in 39 states across the country have signed agreements with the agency so far. Florida tops the list with 342 participating agencies. Texas follows closely with 296 agreements. Tennessee has 63, Pennsylvania has 58 and Alabama has 53, according to the data.