JACKSON, Mich. (Diya TV) — The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office has become the first law enforcement agency in Michigan to formally partner with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under the controversial 287(g) program, sparking concern from immigrant advocacy groups and civil rights organizations.
According to ICE, the agreement was finalized on March 19 and falls under the Warrant Service Officer (WSO) model of the 287(g) program. This model allows trained local deputies to serve and execute civil immigration warrants on individuals already held in local jails, rather than conducting broader immigration enforcement in the community.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office will receive ICE training to carry out administrative warrants on individuals in their custody who ICE believes are in the U.S. unlawfully. This type of cooperation, ICE says, helps the agency detain individuals prior to release and streamline deportation proceedings.
The 287(g) program stems from the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 and authorizes ICE to delegate certain enforcement powers to local and state law enforcement. While three enforcement models exist under the program, Jackson County has opted solely for the WSO model.
As of April 11, ICE has signed 287(g) agreements with 444 agencies nationwide, according to data from the federal agency.
President Donald Trump’s administration has prioritized expansion of 287(g) partnerships as part of its broader immigration crackdown. One of Trump’s first executive orders after taking office in January directed the Department of Homeland Security to expand cooperation with local jurisdictions deemed “qualified and appropriate” for assisting with immigration enforcement.
Advocates for the program argue it enhances public safety by keeping potentially dangerous individuals off the streets. However, critics say it leads to racial profiling, erodes trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement, and places an administrative and financial burden on local agencies.
The Michigan Immigrant Rights Center voiced strong opposition in an April Facebook post, warning that the 287(g) program “harms the relationship between police and local communities,” is costly for municipalities, and contributes to racial profiling. The group has called for local leaders to reconsider the agreement and for increased transparency about its implementation.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan also raised concerns this week about broader immigration enforcement practices. On Thursday, the ACLU filed a lawsuit against the federal government on behalf of four international students in Michigan who recently had their student visas revoked without prior notice or explanation. The students, enrolled at various Michigan universities, were allegedly stripped of their legal status without a chance to respond.
“The right to due process is one of our most fundamental constitutional rights,” said Loren Khogali, executive director of the ACLU of Michigan. “In this case, the Trump administration failed to provide any advance notification to students that they were stripping them of their student immigrant status and offered no viable opportunity to respond or challenge it.”
Elsewhere, immigration enforcement policy came under additional scrutiny Thursday night when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the federal government must help return a man who was wrongfully deported to El Salvador. The Trump administration cited an “administrative error” in that case.
While Jackson County’s ICE partnership is the first in Michigan, it may not be the last. As the federal government seeks to expand local collaboration, counties across the state could face mounting pressure to take a position — and deal with the social and legal consequences that follow.
