Under the leadership of Attorney General Dave Sunday, immigration enforcement has picked up in Pennsylvania.
As of this month, 146 law enforcement agencies across Pennsylvania have signed cooperation agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. At the start of the year, only 42 agencies had signed agreements.
Under the agreements, local and state police officers can carry out some immigration enforcement duties typically reserved for federal agents. This includes interrogation and arrest.
Since the start of President Trump’s second term in office and his crackdown on illegal immigration, the 287(g) program has increased from just 135 agreements to more than 2,600 agreements across the country.
The 287(g) program dates back to 1996, enacted through the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act.
Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Harrisburg have barred local police from partnering with ICE. Pennsylvania State Police are also forbidden from engaging in immigration enforcement.
According to federal data, Pennsylvania has the most 287(g) agreements in the Northeast and the sixth-most of any state.
Republican Attorney General Dave Sunday has targeted violent crime and emphasized the need for law enforcement to collaborate with ICE during his time in office. While Democrat Governor Josh Shapiro lobs lawsuits against the Trump Administration over its immigration enforcement, Sunday has acted as an independent law enforcement authority.
Immigration enforcement throughout the Commonwealth has led to dozens of illegal immigrants being detained and sent back to their home countries. The results come as part of a broader effort by the Trump Administration to secure the nation’s borders and crack down on crime.
Several cities and counties across the state have passed legislation preventing them from cooperating with ICE. Allegheny, Bucks, and Montgomery counties have made substantial efforts to restrict law enforcement’s cooperation with immigration officials.
As recently as last month, immigration officials worked in collaboration with local law enforcement in Montour County to arrest individuals residing in the United States illegally.
According to a statement from ICE, federal officers arrested “10 illegal aliens in Danville… after they were encountered by local law enforcement during vehicle stops.”
Records show that federal agents assigned to the operation received assistance from police officers from five departments in nearby communities as part of the 287(g) program.
According to the Trump Administration, more than 605,000 illegal immigrants have been deported with an additional 1.9 million self-deporting since the President took office.
