The Palmyra police department is the first municipal department in Wisconsin to sign a 287(g) agreement with the federal Immigration Customs Enforcement agency. | Photo via Palmyra Public Safety Department official website

A village police department in southeastern Wisconsin has pursued a type of 287(g) agreement with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that is not held by any other agency in the state.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin criticized the Palmyra Police Department in Jefferson County, saying it is “partnering hand in glove with ICE to carry out this regime’s plan to deport our immigrant neighbors and loved ones.” 

In a statement to the Examiner, interim police chief Paul Blount said the department’s focus is on criminals who threaten public safety and that this is “not a blanket immigration enforcement program.” Blount was not immediately available for an interview. 

“If we find out that we have to participate in that aspect of it, where we’re actually going out, actively enforcing immigration policy and procedure and door to door, looking for undocumented individuals, then I would go on record on saying that we won’t participate in that,” Blount said, according to WISN 12 News. 

He said that the agreement could be what keeps a local police department in the village, due to financial challenges, according to WISN 12 News. He also said there is a $100,000 incentive for the first arrest of an undocumented person that has been involved in a crime or is wanted, and $7,500 for each subsequent arrest. 

According to WISN 12 News, Blount said that if the federal government approves the agreement, he would not move forward without approval from the village board. ICE’s online list currently shows Palmyra as a participating agency and includes Monday, Sept. 22 as the date of signature. 

The Task Force Model serves as a “force multiplier,” according to ICE. It allows officers to enforce limited immigration authority while performing routine police duties, such as identifying a person who is not a U.S. citizen or national during a driving under the influence stop and sharing information directly with ICE. Agencies can carry out immigration enforcement activities under ICE supervision and oversight. 

The American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin said the department is “even taking it a step further than other agencies, instituting the most aggressive 287(g) model that gives officers the green light to stop people they think might be immigrants on the street, question them about their citizenship status, and even take them into custody.”

The 287(g) program allows a local law enforcement agency to enforce certain aspects of U.S. immigration law. According to ICE’s online list,  Palmyra is the only police department in the state with a 287(g) agreement. There are 13 Wisconsin counties with a sheriff’s department partnering with ICE. These partnerships use the warrant service officer model or jail enforcement model, which are focused on local jails. 

In the statement to the Examiner, Blount said that if the program is approved, it would allow officers to work in closer partnership with federal authorities. He said officers would gain access to databases and resources that help investigations and help combat serious crimes, such as narcotics trafficking and human trafficking. 

“This is a tool, not a blanket immigration enforcement program,” Blount said. “Our focus is on criminals who threaten public safety — not law-abiding residents. The core mission of our department remains unchanged: responding to emergencies, enforcing traffic safety, and preventing crime in our community.” 

The ACLU of Wisconsin also raised concern about racial profiling. Stateline reported that the task force agreements with ICE were discontinued in 2012 after a Department of Justice investigation found widespread racial profiling and other discrimination in an Arizona task force. 

“This program tears apart communities and instills fear, and we must reject it in Wisconsin and everywhere else,” the ACLU said. 

According to WISN 12 News, Blount said he will ensure there is a policy or procedure in place if the village does move forward so that residents “are protected from being profiled.”