ICE Partnership Sparks Controversy in Texas City

In a trailblazing decision, Keller became the leading city in Tarrant County to form an alliance with ICE for selective law enforcement procedures. This controversial decision was cheered by the Keller City Council members, but it received an icy response from a large portion of the population, including participants of a protest held at the Keller Town Hall along with the many who vocalized their dissent during the city council meeting that Tuesday night. The landmark interrogation revolves around the 287(g) program, an initiative endorsed unanimously by the council that grants Keller police the authority to cooperate closely with Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE). Under this program, the person’s immigration status can be accurately determined if they are committed into the city jail of Keller.

The Keller Town Hall served as the battleground for debates around this decision with approximately 30 understandably concerned citizens flocking in from Keller and the surrounding areas. These individuals expressed their standpoint through placards and verbal contributions during the session sanctioned for public remarks. While the opposition was robust, Mayor Armin Mizani maintained that the decision to work with ICE was driven by the need to maintain law and order, especially given the rising incidents of violent protests against immigration raids in places like Los Angeles.

In the face of growing discontent, Mayor Mizani remained steadfast. The onslaught of disapproval didn’t catch him off guard. Instead, he lauded the program as a pragmatic solution that would enhance the security of the local communities. He affirmed his belief that this program is essential not only for fortifying the efforts of local, county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, but also for strengthening their inter-agency collaborations.

The 287(g) program facilitates the cooperation between federal and local law enforcement entities, thus enabling them to enhance the safety quotient of their communities. It authorizes state and local law enforcement agencies to lend their resources and personnel to assist ICE in implementing immigration enforcement actions. Established as a pillar of the local law enforcement strategy since 2017, the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office is a distinctive participant in the 287(g) program.

In the frame of this program, a distinctive model named the Warrant Service Officer model (WSO) has been introduced. This model delegates police the discretion to issue civil immigration warrants to the inmates of their jail who have been identified as undocumented by the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). Following the execution of the warrant, ICE has a window of 48 hours to transfer the individuals to a detention center.

Drawing attention to the Keller police, a representative confirmed that the introduction of the new program doesn’t imply any changes in the current policy. Mayor Mizani does not shy away from this matter either, making it clear that adherence to the law and maintaining public safety remain paramount. He gives a clear assurance that minor infringements such as traffic violations would not result in unfounded arrests under this policy.

On the contrary, he insists, the 287(g) program would be implemented against serious crimes such as theft, assault, or even homicide, in Keller or its surrounding cities. As for DUI offenses, Mizani confirms that such violations will undoubtedly lead to arrest, showcasing the commitment of Keller’s law enforcement to protect their community at all costs.

Providing further details, Mayor Mizani explained that the execution of the WSO model requires detention officers to undergo a training session of 8 hours through virtual means, which is then followed by a retraining carried out twice a year. This underlines the fact that the government is taking steps to ensure the proper implementation of the 287(g) program.

‘The purpose of the WSO model is to empower our detention officers to handle certain tasks which were traditionally taken care of by ICE,’ explained Mizani, highlighting a fundamental change in the way duties will be executed. Keller thus enters the records as the fourth city in Texas to adopt the 287(g) program, leading the initiative for Tarrant County.

A notable voice amid the debate is that of Keller resident Andrew Sternke, warning about the possible negative implications of such a program. Sternke raised concerns on how this could potentially pave the way for trust in law enforcement to be replaced by fear amongst immigrant and minority communities in Keller. He mentioned this could essentially create an environment where minor interactions could wield substantial power leading to unintentional consequences.

Introducing the program could necessitate only minor tweaks to the roles of our detention officers, with most components staying the same added Mayor Mizani. He stressed that any deviations from the protocol would lead to strict legal consequences, making it clear that this included those under their jurisdiction at the Keller Regional Detention Center.

A significant impetus propelling the 287(g) agreement was the signing of Senate Bill 8 by Gov. Greg Abbott on June 28. The bill mandates Texas sheriffs to partner with ICE and provides additional funding for essential training. Yet, entwined with a sense of accomplishment is the unsilenced voice of the community members who protested before the council meeting.

With deep-seated apprehensions, the protesters expressed their disapproval for the agreement, stating that the 287(g) program could result in escalated instances of racial profiling. They firmly believe that such policies could erode trust within the community and perniciously impact law enforcement effectiveness, therefore subverting the very public safety the program purports to protect.