1. United States
2. Maine
3. Letter

The recent surge in 287(g) agreements between Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and local law enforcement agencies raises significant concerns about potential civil rights abuses and lack of oversight. By disbanding the advisory board that previously evaluated these partnerships, the administration has removed crucial safeguards and opened the door for problematic agencies with track records of misconduct to join the program with minimal screening. Expanding the involvement of undertrained and under-resourced local police in complex immigration enforcement matters is a recipe for disaster. History has shown that such arrangements often lead to racial profiling, excessive force, and a severe erosion of trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities. The consequences of these policies will inevitably extend far beyond the immigrant population, eroding public safety and civil liberties for all residents. We urge you to take immediate action to reinstate robust oversight mechanisms and halt the indiscriminate approval of 287(g) agreements, especially those involving agencies with documented histories of civil rights violations or lacking the capacity for proper implementation. Unchecked immigration enforcement by ill-equipped local police threatens to undermine due process, fuel discriminatory policing practices, and ultimately make communities less safe. Protecting the rights and dignity of all people must be the top priority.