Shasta County Sheriff’s Attempted ICE Partnership Faces California Legal Hurdles

Internal records show the Shasta County Sheriff's Office attempted to join ICE’s 287(g) program. The effort was stalled due to the California Values Act, which limits local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

A day after Schlapia sent out the e-mail to ICE, Ron Antol, who provided his title as 287( g) national program manager, responded. He first expressed recognition for the constable’s office’s rate of interest in the division and the program’s “role in neighborhood safety.” But he increased issues about how going into these arrangements would be affected by The golden state regulation, asking if law enforcement agencies in the state are even permitted to go into such agreements with ICE.

Criticism and Scope of the 287(g) Program

In a record on the 287(g) program released about a month earlier, the ACLU documented that at the very least 77.2 million individuals are currently staying in a county with a neighborhood law enforcement agency that has participated in a 287(g) contract. The ACLU criticized the program in the record, stating to name a few points that it drains pipes law enforcement agencies’ sources and draws away police officers from neighborhood public security matters.

Madison Holcomb is a California Local Information fellow reporting for Shasta Scout, where this tale initially showed up. It was generated as component of Aqui Estamos/Here We Stand, a collective reporting task of American Community Media and community information outlets statewide.

Shasta County’s Initial Request to Join ICE

On May 6, 2025, Toni Schlapia, who was the Shasta Constable’s Office’s acting exec aide at the time, sent an e-mail to an address devoted to the 287( g) program. The e-mail described that the constable’s workplace wanted to join the program, stating Constable Johnson had actually signed the 287( g) memorandum of agreement, which was affixed to the e-mail.

Records lately acquired by Shasta Precursor show the sheriff’s workplace was looking for to participate in what’s called a 287( g) agreement. The agreement belongs to a program operated by ICE that offers state and regional law enforcement officers the authority to execute migration responsibilities under ICE’s instructions and oversight.

“I am committed to functioning with ICE and federal regulation enforcement officials within the confines of California Legislation,” Johnson created. ICE’s press contact reacted to Shasta Precursor’s concerns concerning a potential cooperation between the Shasta Constable’s Workplace and ICE by directing concerns to the sheriff’s office. Currently, a little over a year right into Trump’s second term, 1,604 regulation enforcement firms throughout the United state have authorized 287(g) agreements with ICE.

Schlapia kept in mind the sheriff’s attached letter of rate of interest for ICE’s Warrant Solution Police officer program, which offers police officers the authority to implement civil migration warrants on behalf of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Procedures branch. It is among four ways that neighborhood police can accept ICE via 287( g) arrangements.

He additionally emphasized that the sheriff’s office “will aid any kind of police operating in our territory in case of an emergency situation,” including that if ICE requires support on an emergency situation basis– such as if ICE is “met violence or resistance when offering a warrant”– the sheriff’s office will send sources to aid and protect the general public.

He raised problems concerning just how getting in these arrangements would certainly be affected by The golden state law, asking if regulation enforcement agencies in the state are even enabled to enter such arrangements with ICE.

National Expansion of Immigration Agreements

At the end of former Head of state Barack Obama’s administration, 32 legislation enforcement companies were getting involved in the program nationwide. Currently, a little over a year right into Trump’s 2nd term, 1,604 regulation enforcement companies across the United state have authorized 287(g) arrangements with ICE.

California State Law and Legal Restrictions

The The golden state Values Act forbids police in the state from assisting with government immigration enforcement. That suggests companies are not permitted to participate in 287( g) agreements with ICE, said College of California Irvine regulation teacher Annie Lai, who focuses on migration legislation and civil liberties. A map on ICE’s 287( g) program site does not record any type of The golden state police as having entered into such arrangements with ICE.

ICE’s press call replied to Shasta Scout’s inquiries concerning a potential collaboration in between the Shasta Constable’s Office and ICE by routing questions to the constable’s workplace. Johnson did not react to Shasta Scout’s relevant inquiries, including what the objective lagged wishing to go into a 287(g) contract, if an alternate arrangement was ever created and exactly how he intends to deal with ICE in the future. Shasta Precursor also connected to the email address dedicated to the 287(g) program to ask if the constable’s workplace has an MOA on file with ICE yet received no feedback.

Johnson described just how law enforcement agencies are enabled to inform, coordinate or move with ICE in cases including individuals that fulfill specific standards, such as ones that have a sentence for a severe or terrible felony or a judicial warrant out for their detention.

“I am devoted to working with ICE and federal legislation enforcement authorities within the boundaries of The golden state Regulation,” Johnson created.

Last year, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office tried to become part of an agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that would have given police officers migration enforcement authority. The process was paused last Might, and it’s unclear where things stand now.

Financial Incentives for Local Cooperation

While no mention was made from economic rewards in Johnson’s interaction, ICE has actually been using economic rewards to agencies that sign 287(g) agreements. ICE has actually been using complete reimbursements for the annual wage and advantages of eligible skilled 287(g) officers, as well as overtime protection up to 25% of the police officer’s annual salary, which is funded through H.R. 1, additionally understood as the Big Beautiful Costs. ICE has additionally been supplying efficiency awards for firms that apprehend a particular variety of individuals a day.

A map on ICE’s 287( g) program site does not record any California legislation enforcement companies as having actually gotten in right into such arrangements with ICE.

Email communication and documents acquired by Shasta Precursor reveal that the Shasta Constable’s Office tried to get in right into a 287( g) contract with ICE last May. Papers indicate the process was stopped after an ICE authorities explained that entering such an arrangement can break state law. An ICE press get in touch with routed questions regarding the contract to the Shasta Area Constable’s Workplace. Constable Mike Johnson did not react to repeated ask for comment on the status of the pending contract.

Revoking the Memorandum of Agreement

Later on that day, Johnson composed a letter to Antol to “clear up the conditions under which California law enforcement agencies are permitted to comply” with ICE. He described just how the Worths Act limits law enforcement agencies from using sources to assist federal migration enforcement, however additionally claimed that “there are plainly specified exemptions to this policy.”

In the add-ons of the letter, Johnson consisted of the previously signed MOA, yet this moment with his signature revoked. He said in the letter that the 287(g) application must be placed in a “pending condition” while he gets in touch with legal advice.

The 287( g) program, which has been around for 3 years, has actually been getting national focus as the Trump management significantly increases agreements with local and state law enforcement agencies as component of its hostile deportation schedule. Greater than 1,600 agreements between ICE and law enforcement agencies have actually been signed throughout the nation, and several states have actually also made it compulsory for law enforcement agencies to go into these arrangements with ICE.