Behind the 287(g) agreements with ICE

Since Jan. 20, 2025 — Inauguration Day for the Trump administration — local law enforcement agencies and jails across the country have been encouraged to contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to help enforce federal immigration law. The Trump administration used a provision under the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act: Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The 287(g) provision allows ICE to delegate some federal immigrant enforcement functions to state and local law enforcement. 287(g) is the popular term for memorandums of agreement forms for local and state ICE cooperation. The 287(g) agreement As of March 4, according to ICE's website, 1,497 program MOAs have been signed. Those represent agreements across 39 states and two U.S. territories. The MOAs fall under four categories: Jail enforcement model: designed to identify and process removable undocumented immigrants — with criminal or pending criminal charges — who are arrested by state or local law enforcement agencies; 151 law enforcement agencies in 30 states and 1 U.S Territory Warrant service officer: allows ICE to train, certify and authorize state and local law enforcement officers to serve and execute administrative warrants on immigrants in their agency's jail; 472 law enforcement agencies in 34 states Task force model: for law enforcement agencies to enforce limited immigration authority with ICE oversight during their routine police duties; 874 agencies in 33 states and 2 U.S. territories. Tribal task force model: for tribal law enforcement agencies to enforce limited immigration authority with ICE oversight under Title 25 USC 2804 As of Thursday, no data had been posted on how many Native American tribal law enforcement agencies are participating in the TTFM program. Tennessee participation As of Thursday, 66 Tennessee sheriff's offices, police departments, the state Department of Safety and Homeland Security and the state Department of Corrections have active MOAs with ICE. The Department of Safety and Homeland Security includes the Tennessee Highway Patrol. The state Department of Corrections operates under a jail enforcement agreement, while Safety and Homeland Security has a task force model agreement with ICE. Some local agencies may have two different program MOAs, like the Madison County Sheriff's Office with task force model and warrant service officer agreements. In upper East Tennessee, participating agencies include: Sullivan County Sheriff's Office — task force model, warrant service officer Washington County Sheriff's Office — warrant service officer Unicoi County Sheriff's Office — warrant service officer Greene County Sheriff's Office — warrant service officer Hancock County Sheriff's Office — warrant service officer The Kingsport Times News reported in December 2025 that the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office started participating in the Warrant Service Officer and Task Force models to expand how local deputies can assist ICE. It was reported at the time that SCSO had six deputies trained and certified for federal immigration enforcement. The earliest MOA listed for Tennessee agencies with ICE was the Knox County Sheriff Office's Jail Enforcement Model agreement, signed June 8, 2020. Most recently, the Obion County and Overton County Sheriff's Offices signed MOAs on Feb. 23 this year. Virginia participation On Feb. 27, 2025, then-Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed Executive Order 47, directing the Virginia State Police and Department of Corrections to enter into 287(g) agreements with ICE. Youngkin's order specified that VSP also create a 287(g) task force along with its TFM agreement and to have federally-deputized officers to help identify and arrest "criminal illegal immigrants" posing a public safety threat. Youngkin called for the Corrections MOA — a jail enforcement model — and for training DOC corrections officers as federal Designated Immigration Officers The state Secretary of Public Safety was also ordered to contact all local sheriffs and local/regional jail chiefs to request certifications and statements of full cooperation with ICE "in all Enforcement and Removal Operations" and with the VSP immigration task force. Current Gov. Abigail Spanberger struck down Youngkin's order on Jan. 17, saying that using the State Police and Corrections officers to handle ICE enforcement took away limited resources form protecting public safety in the state. Spanberger added that state enforcement of federal immigration laws "is not an appropriate use of state or local resources," although her order does not restrict local law enforcement departments from continuing with their 287(g) agreements. As of Thursday, 25 sheriff's departments and two regional jail authorities in Virginia have active 287(g) agreements with ICE. Across far Southwest Virginia, seven agencies are operating under 287(g) agreements: Buchanan County Sheriff's Office — task force model Scott County Sheriff's Office — task force model Smyth County Sheriff's Office — task force model Southwest Virginia Regional Jail Authority — warrant service officer Tazewell County Sheriff's Office — task force model Washington County Sheriff's Office — task force model Wise County Sheriff's Office — task force model The earliest agreement in Virginia was for the Virginia Department of Corrections which was signed on Feb. 28, 2025. The Frederick County Sheriff's Office signed the latest Virginia MOA on Dec. 8, 2025. ICE maintains copies of each agency's 287(g) MOA via links on an Excel spreadsheet at ice.gov/identify-and-arrest/287g.