The immigration crisis continues to escalate in the United States, with increasing numbers of immigrants entering the country. President-elect Donald Trump has promised to prioritize mass deportations, making immigration policy a central issue in his upcoming administration.
According to *The New York Times*, the current wave of immigration has surpassed the massive influx seen during the late 1800s and early 1900s, marking a significant increase in immigrant arrivals. U.S. Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data shows that more than 650,000 immigrants in the U.S. have been convicted of crimes.
In South Florida and along the Treasure Coast, several arrests have been made in connection with criminal activity involving undocumented immigrants. The most recent arrest occurred this week in Hobe Sound, where 31-year-old Jose Gregorio Flores Villa was detained on charges of sexually assaulting a woman at gunpoint.
President-elect Trump is reportedly considering a plan to give local law enforcement, such as sheriffs, more authority to assist in the removal of undocumented immigrants. This proposal involves expanding the federal 287(g) program, which allows local officers to act as immigration agents. However, according to the National Sheriff’s Association, the Biden administration has not engaged local law enforcement in the same way as previous administrations.
St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson spoke with CBS12 News, expressing frustration that his department’s request to join the program had been ignored. “If someone is in our country illegally, and they victimized our citizens, that could have been prevented by not allowing them to enter illegally in the first place,” Pearson said.
The 287(g) program, which was introduced during Bill Clinton’s presidency, allows ICE to work with local and state law enforcement to identify and deport criminal noncitizens. The program was phased out in 2012, with ICE citing a need to focus on higher-priority cases. Currently, the program is only used to help identify and remove noncitizens after they have been charged with a crime by local authorities.
Sheriff Pearson, who applied to participate in the 287(g) program under the Biden administration in 2022, shared his correspondence with ICE showing that his request is still under review. “It just comes down to the current administration hindering law enforcement, which ultimately hurts our citizens,” he said.
Despite challenges with the Biden administration, Pearson is optimistic that the Trump administration will act quickly to address the issue. “I’m sure within the first couple of weeks, the requests will be answered,” Pearson told CBS12 News.
As of now, 60 law enforcement agencies have agreements with ICE under the 287(g) program, including those in Martin, Okeechobee, and Indian River counties. Notably absent from the list are Palm Beach County and St. Lucie County.
The National Sheriff’s Association, while encouraged by Trump’s proposal to expand the program, stated they would wait for official direction from the White House before taking further action.
Related topics:
- New York Immigrant Aid Groups Gear Up for Trump’s Deportation Assault, Push for New Law to Limit ICE Interference
- Billionaire’s Shocking Warning About the Surge in Chinese Immigration to Australia
- Resentment Among Longtime Immigrants Fuels Trump’s Surge in Latino Support
