A group of federal and state lawmakers is calling on six Bexar County communities to reconsider their agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), arguing that local police should not take on a greater role in federal immigration enforcement.

Local Impact

The lawmakers are asking China Grove, Balcones Heights, Hollywood Park, St. Hedwig, Von Ormy, and Sandy Oaks to end their participation in the federal government’s 287(g) program, which allows ICE to delegate certain immigration-enforcement functions to trained state and local law enforcement officers under written agreements and ICE supervision.

U.S. Reps. Joaquin Castro and Greg Casar, along with state lawmakers including Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, made the case during a press conference, stating that the agreements blur the line between local policing and federal immigration enforcement.

Concerns Raised

Castro expressed concern about the impact on smaller police departments, saying they already struggle with law enforcement issues within their boundaries, and this would strain their capacity even more. He also argued that federal funding associated with the program can make the agreements attractive to cities dealing with budget pressures.

Lawmakers are asking the participating communities for information about the number of officers involved, costs, funding, and immigration-related arrests or transfers. They contend that local participation can create additional costs and strain departments that already have limited resources, and that public trust is also at stake.

Original reporting: San Antonio, TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.