The Caldwell County Sheriff's Office signed an agreement on September 9 with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to participate in the Task Force model of program 287(g), according to the federal agency.
The agreement expands the involvement of local authorities in the enforcement of federal immigration laws.
This is the second 287(g) agreement signed by the office, which, since March 2020, already had one limited to the county detention center.
And it is the first sheriff's office in western North Carolina to adopt the Task Force model, which allows officers to perform immigration duties on the street while carrying out routine police work.
The signing took place six weeks after the federal operation in Wilson Creek, in which 13 people were arrested and sheriff's deputies were present to assist federal authorities.
Confirmed by the Caldwell Sheriff's Office
“The office entered into the agreement with the goal of assisting all federal law enforcement agencies,” Aaron S. Barlowe, public information officer for the sheriff’s office, responded to Enlace Latino NC. He also noted that in the past they have assisted other agencies besides the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
When asked if the decision stemmed from requests by county residents, Barlowe said it did not come directly from them, but that "there are many citizens who support the sheriff's office cooperating with all federal agencies."
Regarding the July operation, he responded: “The agreement is not related to the checkpoint at Wilson's Creek that occurred on July 26.”
“Less safe than before”
“We are afraid. We feel less safe now than before,” he told Enlace Latino NC Soraya Valdez Place, program coordinator at the Latino Center.
The organization, based in Catawba County, also serves the Latino community in Caldwell County. Along with Manos de Esperanza (Morganton), the organization helped the community affected by the raid in Pisgah National Forest.
Valdez Place pointed out that the fear stems from what the agreement allows outside of prison. “It actually gives authorities the power to discriminate or to make an arrest simply because of the way we look,” he said.
He concluded, “It’s clear to us that the sheriff’s office is cooperating with ICE,” he stated. “That’s how we truly feel.”
Related: Find out which counties in the Carolinas have 287(g) agreements with ICE
What is the 287(g) program?
The 287(g) program, established in the Immigration and Nationality Act, authorizes the federal government to delegate certain immigration functions to local police agencies or marshals.
Most 287(g) agreements in force in North Carolina These correspond to the “Jail Enforcement” or “Warrant Service Officer” models, which operate mainly in detention centers and prisons.
The “Task Force” model, on the other hand, allows officers to perform immigration duties on the street while carrying out routine police work. They can also participate in joint operations with ICE.
Main models
- Jail Enforcement Model (JEM): Allows trained officers in local jails to verify the immigration status of individuals arrested for state or local offenses and issue detainers for ICE.
- Warrant Service Officer (WSO): It authorizes local officers to serve ICE administrative arrest warrants (Forms I-200 and I-205) against individuals in custody. It is more limited than the JEM, as it does not permit immigration interviews or street patrols.
- Task Force Model (TFM): It allows local officers to collaborate on investigations and arrests in the community, outside of the prison setting. This model is rare and highly controversial.
At least 27 agencies in North Carolina
Al minus 27 North Carolina public safety agencies They participate in the federal 287(g) program, according to the reviewed records. Six of them correspond to the “Task Force” model.
The remaining agreements fall under the “Warrant Service Officer” model and are signed with county sheriff's offices. While eight agreements involve municipal police departments, six of these operate under the “Task Force” model.
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