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What does “cooperate with ICE” mean?
There is no single measure of cooperation. An agency may have formal authority under an agreement, share information, respond to requests about a person in custody, or assist with operations. Investigate the specific activity you want to know about rather than relying on a yes-or-no label.
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- Formal delegated authority: participation in ICE’s 287(g) program.
- Information sharing: providing immigration-status information or access to agency databases.
- Custody-related responses: responding to detainer requests or notifying ICE about a person’s release.
- Operational assistance: taking part in joint operations or task forces.
Check whether the state police agency has a 287(g) agreement
Start with ICE’s 287(g) program page and its participant map. Search the exact name of the state police agency, and check the current listing for the agreement’s status and model. ICE identifies three models: Jail Enforcement, Task Force and Warrant Service Officer.
Make sure the listing names the state police agency itself. A sheriff’s office, jail or municipal police department in the same state is a different agency; its participation does not establish that state police participate. ICE describes the Task Force Model as allowing officers to exercise limited immigration authority during routine police duties, including sharing information directly with ICE.
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A 287(g) listing is evidence of formal program participation, not a complete record of every relationship with ICE. Conversely, no listing is not proof that an agency never shares information, responds to requests or assists with other arrangements.
Look for other forms of information sharing and assistance
Review the state police agency’s current written policies and the state laws that govern it. Search agency websites and policy manuals using terms such as:
- “immigration detainer” and “ICE request”
- “immigration status” and “federal immigration authorities”
- “release notification”
- “task force” and “memorandum of agreement”
- “database access”
These terms help distinguish different practices. For example, a policy about sharing status information may not answer whether the agency gives ICE nonpublic release details or addresses. The New York Attorney General’s guidance draws distinctions of this kind under New York rules; it is not a nationwide rule. State and local laws differ, and the Brennan Center notes that local governments may have authority over some choices even when state law does not expressly address them.
Check detainer rules and actual agency practice separately
An ICE detainer is a request, not the same thing as a 287(g) agreement. ICE says detainers seek release information and ask a facility to hold a person for up to 48 hours. A Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General memorandum describes detainers as voluntary requests and documents variation among jurisdictions. Those general descriptions do not establish what a particular state police agency may or must do: check the current law that applies and the agency’s own policy.
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Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Request records if public information is incomplete
Use the public-records law that applies to the state police agency. Name the agency, specify a date range, and ask for records rather than only asking whether it “cooperates” with ICE. Useful requests include:
- Current and prior agreements, memoranda of understanding or other arrangements with ICE or the Department of Homeland Security.
- Policies on ICE requests, detainers, release notifications, information sharing and assistance.
- Detainer request counts and records of transfers to federal custody for the requested period.
- Records of task-force or joint-operation participation.
- Protocols governing database access or information disclosures.
- Related expenditures, overtime and reimbursements.
These record categories are identified in CLINIC’s guide to public-records requests about ICE and the 287(g) program. A response may be partial or require follow-up, so keep the request focused and ask the agency to clarify any withheld or unavailable records.
Draw a conclusion that matches the evidence
When summarizing what you find, identify the agency, the activity and the date of the evidence. An official agreement, statute or agency policy answers a different question from a secondary summary or an incomplete records response. A national agreement count cannot establish whether a particular state police agency participates; for example, the Brennan Center reported 2,315 287(g) agreements nationally when its page was accessed in 2026, a time-sensitive figure rather than an agency-level measure.
Also keep agencies distinct. A state police finding does not automatically describe county sheriffs, jails or city police departments. If you want to know about one of those entities, repeat the checks and records request for that agency.
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