LEITF Session during “Welcoming Interactive” conference in Detroit, Michigan

On May 21, members of the Law Enforcement Immigration Task Force (LEITF) participated in the Welcoming Interactive conference, which brought together hundreds of participants and leaders to share best practices and strategies related to immigrant inclusion in the United States. During the conference, which was held in Detroit, the LEITF session focused on the growing pressure from federal and state governments on local law enforcement agencies to enforce immigration policies. Amid the political and legal challenges, panel speakers discussed recent policy and legal developments and shared how local law enforcement agencies can maintain the trust of immigrant communities while navigating federal and state demands.

Laurence Benenson, Vice President of Policy & Advocacy at the National Immigration Forum, discussed the shifting immigration enforcement priorities of the Trump administration and how they are impacting the roles of state and local law enforcement in this area. In his remarks, Benenson highlighted recent executive orders related to sanctuary cities and 287(g) agreements as well as new policies seeking to compel local law enforcement agencies to take an increased role in immigration enforcement. “Increasing reliance on local law enforcement to carry out immigration enforcement strains local police departments and sheriff’s offices and will undermine community trust,” said Benenson.

The panelists also talked about how some state governments are also mandating immigration enforcement at the local level.  Police Chief Michael Tupper, who recently retired from more than a decade leading the Marshalltown, Iowa Police Department, discussed the Iowa legislature’s consideration of multiple immigration enforcement bills, including one that would require law enforcement agencies in the landlocked state to take on new roles in deportation operations. “In Iowa, when local law enforcement is pressured into enforcing immigration laws, negative impacts on community relations are greatly felt,“ said Chief Tupper.

Tupper also highlighted the role immigrants played in his community and the state, which led his department to develop strategies to strengthen relationships between law enforcement and immigrant communities in Marshalltown – strategies that could be applied elsewhere. He shared examples of community engagement methods to help alleviate rising levels of anxiety, including “Know Your Rights” presentations and community conversations to combat misinformation and “Community safety cannot be maintained without strengthening community relations. And ensuring that local law enforcement agencies are not involved in immigration enforcement is key to building trust,” said Chief Tupper.

Sheriff Alyshia Dyer of Washtenaw County, Michigan (which includes the college towns of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti) pointed out that when the immigrant community conflates local law enforcement with federal immigration authorities, they are less likely to trust local law enforcement, making victims and witnesses of crimes less inclined to cooperate on investigations. Sheriff Dyer talked about the need to collaborate with federal agencies on priority public safety goals in Washtenaw County while upholding constitutional and due process protections. “In Michigan, through effective ways of communication and cooperation with federal authorities, local law enforcement can maintain separation [from federal immigration enforcement efforts] while upholding equitable treatment for all community members,“ said Sheriff Dyer.

The panelists also discussed how in a time of limited resources and budget cuts, requiring that state and local law enforcement devote more resources towards immigration enforcement creates additional fiscal and personnel challenges. These limitations only make it more difficult to serve community needs and ensure public safety.

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The LEITF would like to thank Joaquín Villagran-Hernandez, Summer Intern, for his contribution to this blog post.