Crawford County Joins 287(g) Program, Expanding ICE Collaboration

Crawford County Joins Federal Immigration Enforcement Initiative

In a move that aligns local law enforcement with federal immigration efforts, the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department has joined the 287(g) program. This initiative empowers local agencies to perform duties typically reserved for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), such as verifying residency documents and initiating deportation processes.

Crawford County, which contains the city of Grayling, is part of a broader effort to enhance local participation in immigration enforcement. This initiative follows a congressional decision in July to allocate $14 billion to agencies joining the program. This funding covers some officer salaries and overtime, with training costs supported by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Beginning October 1, DHS plans to offer quarterly bonuses to officers ranging from $500 to $1,000 for effectively locating unauthorized immigrants and aiding ICE’s mission, as stated in a recent press release.

Adjacent to Crawford County, the Roscommon County Sheriff’s Department is already engaged in the program. The memorandum of agreement between Roscommon County and DHS is publicly available, while Crawford County’s agreement is still pending release.

Both counties are responsible for patrolling parts of I-75, a major highway linking Detroit to Canada.

Currently, seven law enforcement agencies in Michigan are equipped to enforce immigration laws through the 287(g) program, all having joined since March. The Taylor Police Department, Roscommon, and Crawford County Sheriff’s Departments operate under “task force model” agreements, facilitating limited enforcement with ICE oversight, as outlined in an ICE fact sheet.

Additionally, the sheriff’s departments in Jackson, Berrien, and Calhoun Counties have “warrant service officer” agreements, training local law enforcement to execute immigration warrants within jails.

While Crawford County Sheriff Ryan Swope was contacted for comment, he directed inquiries to ICE, which did not respond prior to publication.