A local law enforcement agency in Iowa is partnering with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to help enforce federal immigration laws.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office is the second agency in the state to have an agreement under the 287(g) program. The Iowa Department of Public Safety formed an agreement with ICE under the same program in April.
Joe Henry, state political director of the League of United Latin American Citizens, known as LULAC, said these types of agreements have a chilling effect on people interacting with law enforcement.
“It’s going to be much more difficult for people from the immigrant community and those connected to the immigrant community to report crimes because they will be fearful that they then might be questioned whether or not they have legal status or their citizens,” Henry said.
In Marion County, only one officer was approved to work with ICE. Deputized officers can question people they suspect don’t have legal status while carrying out routine duties, like traffic stops. They can also issue arrest warrants and immigration detainers.
“This isn’t something where you put on a mask, kick in a door or something like that,” said Marion County’s deputized officer, Lt. Reed Kious. “This is somebody [that] comes across somebody with a detainer order, or someone commits a bad crime against somebody else.”
By Isabella Luu IPR News
