ICE Issues Memo Clarifying Control Over 287(g) Program Records Held by Local Agencies

Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued a memo directing local law enforcement agencies participating in the 287(g) program to contact the agency before responding to Freedom of Information Act requests or sharing information about their immigration enforcement activities.

The directive was emailed between April 19 and May 5 to hundreds of local agencies in Texas and Florida. A secretive memo reviewed by The Florida Trib states that information obtained or developed by local law enforcement through participation in the 287(g) program is under the control of ICE.

Documents related to 287(g) activities cannot be released without prior ICE approval, the memo said. It instructed agencies to consult ICE particularly in situations when information sharing might otherwise take place, such as press conferences, press releases, media ride alongs and social media postings.

Multiple law enforcement agencies across South Florida confirmed receiving the memo but would not provide it to a reporter pending clearance from ICE.

Reason reached out to both ICE and the Department of Homeland Security to confirm or deny the existence of the memo. A DHS spokesperson stated that coordination is required when releasing sensitive 287(g)-related information and that they are not going to disclose law enforcement sensitive intelligence.

The number of 287(g) agreements increased from 135 participating agencies in January 2025 to over 1,700 in May 2026.

J. Ciaramella received an email denying access to records about an immigration arrest in Pensacola, Florida, that took place in October 2025. R.