U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is floating an insurance plan to help protect local police officers from elite-funded legal harassment when they arrest illegal migrants in cooperation with federal enforcement.
In a planning document published last week, ICE revealed plans to have the federal government help pay for insurance for locals, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
The plan would supply a $250 annual reimbursement for officers taking out insurance that covers $500,000 in personal liability. The insurance would cover legal fees, settlements, and judgments.
“ICE outlined the plan in a document informing industry officials that it is considering hiring a contractor to help provide outreach, training and communications support for its so-called 287(g) partnerships with local departments, which are named for a section of a 1996 immigration law. The contractor would hire the insurance vendor and process the reimbursements, among other tasks,” the AP reported.
The proposal is now in the comments stage as ICE is seeking input from police departments on the idea.
The need for such a program is growing. Currently, almost 1,600 police departments and law enforcement agencies in 32 states are participating in the 287(g) Program and working directly with the immigration agency on arresting illegal migrants.
Participating departments have arrested around 3,000 migrants per month thus far this year, compared to only 250 during the Biden administration.
Some departments are already signing up for similar liability plans, including Butler County, Pennsylvania, where Sheriff Michael Slupe noted that he has insurance to cover his 13 deputies.
“I want to make sure the guys are additionally covered, so we had to spend the money,” Slupe said. He also said he would welcome the ICE reimbursement plan as a way to recoup the costs of insurance.
Justin Smith, a former Colorado sheriff who is executive director of the National Sheriffs’ Association, also praised the idea and pointed out that as departments engage with ICE more, the possibility of being sued for enforcing the law grows.
“Right now, any time you are working on immigration there is going to be a much higher potential for there being problems and having suits and issues,” Smith said. “They’re recognizing that it is a different environment. And I think trying to be good partners with us as best they can.”
ICE has attempted to address the liability issue in other ways, as well. ICE officially allows local police to maintain that their cooperation with ICE is performed “under color of federal authority,” which would bar lawsuits against individual officers.
The Department of Justice also offers free representation to any officer who faces a civil lawsuit,
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