The Department of Homeland Security has authorized more state and local law enforcement groups to help with deportation efforts in their jurisdictions through the 287(g) program.
Until now, the Trump administration has prioritized the violent criminals that are in the country illegally. Lieutenant Randy Sutton (Ret.) says these agreements open the door to casting a wider net.
"It gives the statutory authority for police departments to sign an agreement with the federal government to aid in immigration efforts," he summarizes.
The program does, however, have a potential drawback.
"There is a huge amount of victimization that takes place in that community," notes Sutton. "What happens is if people are afraid to report that they are victims of crimes, they don't go to the police. They're afraid that they're going to get deported."
The solution, he says, is to take advantage of a provision that offers legal status to a migrant who is cooperative in a criminal investigation.
Sutton adds that the other problem may be a political one for President Trump.
"It's much more palatable for the president and ICE to really go after bad guys," he says. "When you're grabbing the people that are at the Walmart or at the Home Depot store, that has less of a public appeal."
As of May 7, 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has signed 523 Memorandums of Agreement for 287(g) programs across 38 states. These agreements involve 89 law enforcement agencies in 25 states, 192 agencies in 29 states, and 242 agencies in 25 states.
More tools to fight gangs
Following its recent crackdown on Mexican drug cartels, Tren de Aragua, and MS-13, the Trump administration has turned its attention to a new criminal threat.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has officially designated two Haitian gangs, Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif, as foreign terrorist organizations.
Ira Mehlman of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) says gang violence in Haiti is some of the worst in the world.
Viv Ansanm, which means "Live Together" in Haitian Creole, was created out of the merger of several other gangs and has been undermining the nation with a campaign of violence that has weakened the already fragile Haitian state.
Gran Grif burst onto the scene with a large-scale massacre of over 70 civilians in the town of Pont-Sonde in October 2024.
American citizens in Haiti have been among the victims of gang attacks and kidnappings, including 16 American Christian missionaries in 2021 and a young nurse from New Hampshire in 2023.
FAIR says the ongoing violence serves as a "push" factor that is driving Haitians to migrate illegally to the U.S.
Springfield, Ohio, for example – a city of 60,000 – has seen an influx of 15,000 to 20,000 Haitian residents in recent years.
"These foreign criminal gangs are terrorizing communities all across the United States, says Mehlman. "We have seen over the years, and certainly at an accelerated pace during the Biden administration, where the gangs infiltrated the United States. They established strongholds in various places around the country, and they're literally terrorizing American citizens in their own communities."
This designation is a way for the administration to deal effectively with these criminal organizations.
"Declare them to be terrorist organizations, and deal with them accordingly," Mehlman advises.
The foreign terrorist organization designation expands the legal tools available to pursue and penalize these gangs. The legal classification allows the government to leverage more against them than would be the case if they were solely a criminal gang.
This includes the potential use of the military and greater abilities to sanction gang officials.
