Delaware Ends Partnership Program with ICE Following Controversy

Delaware Governor Matt Meyer has enacted new legislation designed to restrict local law enforcement agencies from collaborating with federal immigration authorities in enforcing immigration laws and sharing relevant data. This legislative measure, known as House Bill 182, specifically targets the controversial 287(g) program, which allows state and local law enforcement to assist in the enforcement of federal immigration statutes.

The 287(g) program has seen significant expansion, currently operational in 40 states across the U.S. Recent reports from ProPublica indicate that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) signed over 514 new agreements for the 287(g) initiative between January and June of this year. This growth comes in the context of a nationwide enforcement strategy under the current administration, which reported more than 66,463 arrests and 65,682 removals in the initial 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term.

During the signing ceremony for House Bill 182, Governor Meyer expressed the urgency surrounding the legislation, emphasizing the intent to reassure Delaware communities that local law enforcement is primarily focused on protecting public safety rather than acting as an arm of federal immigration enforcement. He underscored that the role of law enforcement officials should be to foster safety within communities.

In addition to House Bill 182, Meyer enacted three other pieces of legislation aimed at reforming police practices, which include ending citizen’s arrests, criminalizing the impersonation of a federal officer, and eliminating the authority for private individuals to carry out warrantless arrests for felonies charged in other states.

Delaware now joins a cohort of states—specifically, Oregon, Connecticut, California, Illinois, Washington, and New Jersey—that have moved to limit participation in the 287(g) program. Advocates for the bill contend that collaboration between local police and ICE can divert crucial resources away from community safety tasks and jeopardize the trust relationship that local police departments share with the communities they serve.

Supporters of the legislation, including State Senator Tizzy Lockman, have articulated that House Bill 182 aims to bolster public trust in law enforcement and restore focus on community policing.

Amid these developments, it’s noteworthy that in Pennsylvania, local law enforcement agencies have increasingly entered into agreements with ICE, with 18 agencies joining the program since the beginning of the year, and several others still in the application process.

As the state grapples with these complex issues surrounding immigration enforcement, debates continue regarding the implications of federal-local partnerships, public safety priorities, and the broader impact of immigration policy on community relations. ICE officials, when contacted for comment, did not respond immediately.