Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025

Is ICE offering police departments $100,000 to cooperate in finding unauthorized immigrants?

Tom Kertscher / Wisconsin Watch, Wisconsin Watch

yes

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement offers up to $100,000 for vehicle purchases to local law enforcement agencies that assist ICE in apprehending unauthorized immigrants.

ICE announced Sept. 2 that its 287(g) Program also offers other local incentives, including salary and benefits reimbursement for ICE-trained officers and quarterly payments of $500 to $1,000 per officer for finding unauthorized immigrants identified by ICE.

As of Oct. 2, 13 Wisconsin sheriff’s departments, including Brown and Waukesha counties, were working with ICE on unauthorized immigrants in their jails and/or serving immigration warrants on individuals.

The $100,000 is offered to “task force” members. One Wisconsin police department, Palmyra in Jefferson County, is participating. The chief has said his focus is pursuing “criminals.”

ICE says its program targets criminal unauthorized immigrants. Research shows unauthorized immigrants crossing the U.S. border are not more likely than native-born Americans to commit crimes.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: 287(g) Benefits
Congressional Research Service: The 287(g) Program: State and Local Immigration Enforcement
National Fraternal Order of Police: Statement from Patrick Yoes, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police, Supporting 287(g) Program Partnerships
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: Partner With ICE Through the 287(g) Program
U.S. Department of Homeland Security: DHS Announces New Reimbursement Opportunities for State and Local Law Enforcement Partnering with ICE to Arrest the Worst of the Worst Criminal Illegal Aliens
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: Delegation of Immigration Authority Section 287(g) Immigration and Nationality Act
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: 287(g) partner listing
Spectrum News: Palmyra Police Department is first in Wisconsin to enter 'task force model' deal with ICE
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Palmyra police want to question, arrest immigrants in the field for ICE, a Wisconsin first
Wisconsin Watch: Are undocumented immigrants crossing the US border more likely than native-born Americans to commit crimes?
Midwest Newsroom: As ICE partnerships spread in the Midwest, incentives rise and civil rights concerns deepen
Wisconsin Examiner: Police agreement with ICE ‘taking it a step further’ than other Wisconsin agencies

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Is ICE offering police departments $100,000 to cooperate in finding unauthorized immigrants?

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