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287(g) agreements and ICE detainers — which local police work with ICE, and what a detainer can and cannot do

Name: ICE 287(g) agreements by state and agency
Creator: MigrantUSA
License: https://migrantusa.com/terms/

The 287(g) program grew from roughly 135 agreements to over 1,900 during 2025-26. What the JEM, TFM, and WSO models each authorize, the full state-by-state table from ICE's own workbook, and why an ICE detainer (Form I-247A) is not a warrant.

287(g) and ICE detainers — when local police become immigration enforcement

Two mechanisms connect local policing to federal immigration enforcement: 287(g) agreements, which deputize local officers to perform immigration functions, and detainers, the requests ICE lodges with jails to hold people for pickup. Both expanded dramatically in 2025-26, and both vary enormously by state — the difference between a traffic stop that ends with a ticket and one that ends in removal proceedings is often the county you are in. General information, not legal advice.

The 287(g) program — what it is

INA §287(g) (8 U.S.C. §1357(g)) authorizes ICE to sign Memorandums of Agreement with state and local law-enforcement agencies, deputizing selected local officers to perform federal immigration functions under ICE supervision. Three models exist:

Model	Where it operates	What deputized officers can do
Jail Enforcement Model (JEM)	Inside jails, after an arrest	Question people in custody about immigration status, lodge detainers, begin removal processing
Warrant Service Officer (WSO)	Inside jails	Serve ICE administrative warrants (I-200/I-205) on people already in custody — the narrowest model
Task Force Model (TFM)	Street-level policing	Enforce immigration law during regular duties — patrol, traffic stops, investigations. Discontinued in 2012 after civil-rights findings; revived in 2025 and now the largest model

The program’s growth is the 2025-26 story: from roughly 135 agreements at the start of 2025 to the current count below — more than a tenfold expansion, driven by federal recruitment and by state laws (Florida, Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, and others) requiring or pressing local agencies to sign.

The state-by-state table — from ICE’s own workbook

As of June 10, 2026 (ICE's own stamp), 1,934 signed 287(g) agreements exist with state and local law-enforcement agencies across 40 states and territories: 180 Jail Enforcement Model (JEM), 1,248 Task Force Model (TFM), and 506 Warrant Service Officer (WSO).

State	Agreements	Agencies	Models
Alabama	62	47	JEM %!d(float64=9) · TFM %!d(float64=44) · WSO %!d(float64=9)
Alaska	2	2	WSO %!d(float64=2)
Arizona	10	9	JEM %!d(float64=5) · TFM %!d(float64=1) · WSO %!d(float64=4)
Arkansas	106	85	JEM %!d(float64=17) · TFM %!d(float64=56) · WSO %!d(float64=33)
Colorado	1	1	JEM %!d(float64=1)
Florida	349	284	JEM %!d(float64=10) · TFM %!d(float64=274) · WSO %!d(float64=65)
Georgia	73	58	JEM %!d(float64=17) · TFM %!d(float64=31) · WSO %!d(float64=25)
Guam	1	1	TFM %!d(float64=1)
Idaho	12	10	JEM %!d(float64=1) · TFM %!d(float64=3) · WSO %!d(float64=8)
Indiana	35	33	JEM %!d(float64=2) · TFM %!d(float64=28) · WSO %!d(float64=5)
Iowa	2	2	TFM %!d(float64=2)
Kansas	36	31	JEM %!d(float64=2) · TFM %!d(float64=10) · WSO %!d(float64=24)
Kentucky	44	42	JEM %!d(float64=3) · TFM %!d(float64=39) · WSO %!d(float64=2)
Louisiana	46	37	JEM %!d(float64=6) · TFM %!d(float64=31) · WSO %!d(float64=9)
Massachusetts	1	1	JEM %!d(float64=1)
Michigan	8	8	TFM %!d(float64=5) · WSO %!d(float64=3)
Minnesota	10	9	JEM %!d(float64=1) · TFM %!d(float64=6) · WSO %!d(float64=3)
Mississippi	39	33	JEM %!d(float64=4) · TFM %!d(float64=31) · WSO %!d(float64=4)
Missouri	106	87	JEM %!d(float64=9) · TFM %!d(float64=86) · WSO %!d(float64=11)
Montana	6	6	TFM %!d(float64=4) · WSO %!d(float64=2)
Nebraska	10	8	JEM %!d(float64=3) · TFM %!d(float64=6) · WSO %!d(float64=1)
Nevada	5	4	JEM %!d(float64=1) · WSO %!d(float64=4)
New Hampshire	23	23	TFM %!d(float64=23)
New Mexico	2	2	WSO %!d(float64=2)
New York	14	12	JEM %!d(float64=1) · TFM %!d(float64=7) · WSO %!d(float64=6)
North Carolina	28	26	JEM %!d(float64=3) · TFM %!d(float64=7) · WSO %!d(float64=18)
North Dakota	15	10	JEM %!d(float64=1) · TFM %!d(float64=10) · WSO %!d(float64=4)
Northern Mariana Islands	2	2	JEM %!d(float64=1) · TFM %!d(float64=1)
Ohio	20	16	JEM %!d(float64=1) · TFM %!d(float64=15) · WSO %!d(float64=4)
Oklahoma	76	69	JEM %!d(float64=5) · TFM %!d(float64=64) · WSO %!d(float64=7)
Pennsylvania	107	107	TFM %!d(float64=104) · WSO %!d(float64=3)
South Carolina	49	44	JEM %!d(float64=3) · TFM %!d(float64=32) · WSO %!d(float64=14)
South Dakota	8	7	JEM %!d(float64=1) · TFM %!d(float64=4) · WSO %!d(float64=3)
Tennessee	84	74	JEM %!d(float64=10) · TFM %!d(float64=27) · WSO %!d(float64=47)
Texas	416	338	JEM %!d(float64=52) · TFM %!d(float64=220) · WSO %!d(float64=144)
Utah	16	12	JEM %!d(float64=2) · TFM %!d(float64=5) · WSO %!d(float64=9)
Virginia	30	28	JEM %!d(float64=1) · TFM %!d(float64=24) · WSO %!d(float64=5)
West Virginia	38	38	TFM %!d(float64=37) · WSO %!d(float64=1)
Wisconsin	23	21	JEM %!d(float64=5) · WSO %!d(float64=18)
Wyoming	19	13	JEM %!d(float64=2) · TFM %!d(float64=10) · WSO %!d(float64=7)

Source: ICE — 287(g) Participating Agencies (official workbook retrieved 2026-06-10). A state absent from the table had no signed agreements as of that date.

What 287(g) means in practice

In a JEM/WSO county: the immigration consequences begin after an arrest, at booking. The arrest itself — even for a minor charge that is later dropped — triggers the status questioning and possible detainer. The right to remain silent applies fully inside a jail: you do not have to answer questions about where you were born or how you entered the US.
In a TFM county: deputized officers can pursue immigration enforcement during ordinary policing. The scripts in ICE during traffic stops and ICE in public apply to local police in these counties, not just to federal officers.
Everywhere: local officers without a 287(g) agreement have no general authority to arrest for civil immigration violations (Arizona v. United States, 567 U.S. 387 (2012) struck down state attempts to create that authority).

ICE detainers — the I-247A explained

A detainer (Form I-247A, “Immigration Detainer — Notice of Action”) is ICE’s request that a jail or prison:

notify ICE before releasing the person, and
hold the person up to 48 hours beyond their scheduled release so ICE can take custody (8 CFR 287.7).

What a detainer is not:

Not a judicial warrant. No judge reviews it. Since 2017 the I-247A is accompanied by an administrative warrant (I-200/I-205) — still officer-signed. See judicial vs administrative warrants.
Not a command. Federal courts treat detainers as requests that localities may decline (Galarza v. Szalczyk, 745 F.3d 634 (3d Cir. 2014)) — and a locality that holds someone past release solely on a detainer can be liable for a 4th Amendment violation (Miranda-Olivares v. Clackamas County, No. 3:12-cv-02317 (D. Or. 2014)).
Not proof of removability. People with US citizenship claims and lawful status have been subject to erroneous detainers; saying so immediately and repeatedly, and getting documents to the jail, is the practical response.

Whether your jail honors detainers — the state split

Limit-compliance states: California (SB 54, 2017), Illinois (TRUST Act), Oregon, Washington, New Jersey (AG directive), Colorado, New York (varies by locality) and others restrict detainer holds, often to cases with judicial warrants or serious convictions.
Mandate states: Texas (SB 4, 2017) and Florida (SB 168, 2019) require local compliance; several states added 287(g)-participation mandates for jails in 2025-26.
The 287(g) table above is the strongest single indicator of your county’s posture — a sheriff with a signed JEM agreement is fully integrated with ICE processing.

If a family member is in jail with a detainer

Ask the jail directly whether an immigration detainer (I-247A) is lodged — this is normal information for family or counsel to request.
Before posting bond, talk to an immigration attorney about timing: when a detainer is lodged, release on bond can mean transfer to ICE custody rather than going home. An attorney may use the criminal case’s timeline strategically.
Track the person: if ICE takes custody, use the ICE detainee locator and facility directory with their A-number.
Know the bond basics: immigration bond is separate from criminal bail — see what happens in detention.

Last verified: 2026-06-11. General information, not legal advice. 287(g) signings change weekly and state detainer law is actively litigated — verify your county’s current status via the table’s source link, and consult a licensed immigration attorney for any specific case.

Frequently asked questions

What is the 287(g) program?

Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. section 1357(g)) lets ICE sign agreements (Memorandums of Agreement) that deputize state and local law-enforcement officers to perform specified federal immigration functions. Officers in participating agencies can question people about status, lodge detainers, serve administrative warrants, and process people for removal — depending on which model the agency signed. The program expanded enormously during 2025-26: from roughly 135 agreements at the start of 2025 to over 1,900 by mid-2026, per ICE’s own participating-agencies workbook.

What are the JEM, TFM, and WSO models?

Jail Enforcement Model (JEM): deputized officers interrogate people about immigration status inside the jail after an arrest and process them for removal. Warrant Service Officer (WSO): jail officers are trained only to serve ICE administrative warrants on people already in custody. Task Force Model (TFM): deputized officers enforce immigration law during regular street policing — the broadest model, discontinued in 2012 after civil-rights findings and revived in 2025. TFM is the model that brings immigration questioning into traffic stops and patrol encounters.

Is an ICE detainer the same as a warrant?

No. A detainer (Form I-247A) is a request from ICE to a jail: notify ICE before releasing the person and hold them up to 48 hours beyond their release time (8 CFR 287.7). It is not signed by a judge. Federal courts have held detainers are requests that localities may decline (Galarza v. Szalczyk, 3d Cir. 2014) and that holding someone solely on a detainer without probable cause can violate the 4th Amendment (Miranda-Olivares v. Clackamas County, D. Or. 2014).

Can the jail hold me after I post bail because of a detainer?

It depends on where you are. In states that limit detainer compliance (California’s SB 54, Illinois’ TRUST Act, and similar laws in Oregon, Washington, New Jersey and others), jails honor detainers only in limited cases or not at all. In states that mandate cooperation (Texas SB 4 of 2017, Florida’s SB 168 of 2019, and 2025-26 laws in several states requiring 287(g) participation), jails generally hold for ICE pickup. Anyone posting bond for a detained family member should ask the jail whether an immigration detainer is lodged — it changes what happens at release.

How do I find out if my county's police or sheriff works with ICE?

Check the state table on this page — it is parsed directly from ICE’s official participating-agencies workbook and re-checked monthly. ICE also publishes the full agency-level list (linked in our sources). If your county sheriff holds a JEM or WSO agreement, the cooperation happens at the jail after an arrest; if your area has TFM agreements, deputized immigration enforcement can occur during ordinary policing.

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General information, not legal advice. MigrantUSA is an independent publisher and is not a law firm; using this site does not create an attorney-client relationship, and this content is not a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney about your specific situation. US federal, state, and local government procedures, fees, and forms change. Always verify current details directly with the relevant agency before acting. For immigration, tax, or other legal matters specific to your situation, consult a licensed attorney or BIA-accredited representative.