1. United States
2. Ky.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to oppose House Bill 47, which would mandate that Kentucky State Police posts enter into agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to participate in the Task Force Model Program. This requirement represents a significant overreach that would fundamentally alter the role of state law enforcement. House Bill 47, currently before the Judiciary Committee, would force Kentucky State Police to enforce federal immigration law through mandatory ICE agreements. While the bill allows voluntary participation for local law enforcement agencies, it removes that choice entirely for state police. This creates an unfunded mandate that diverts limited state resources away from addressing Kentucky's actual public safety priorities, including our ongoing struggles with drug trafficking and property crime. Mandatory ICE participation erodes community trust in law enforcement. When residents fear that routine interactions with state police could lead to immigration consequences, they become less likely to report crimes, serve as witnesses, or cooperate with investigations. This makes every Kentuckian less safe, regardless of immigration status. Law enforcement effectiveness depends on community cooperation, and this bill undermines that foundation. The fiscal impact cannot be ignored. Kentucky State Police would be required to dedicate personnel to ICE training and immigration enforcement activities without additional federal funding. These are resources that could be deployed to address crimes that directly threaten Kentucky communities. The bill also counts ICE training toward annual in-service requirements under KRS 15.404, potentially displacing training on state-specific law enforcement priorities. Kentucky State Police should maintain the flexibility to allocate resources based on the actual needs of Kentucky communities, not federal mandates. I urge you to oppose House Bill 47 and preserve local control over state law enforcement priorities. Our state police should focus on keeping Kentuckians safe, not serving as an extension of federal immigration enforcement.