Washington County, Maryland, has taken steps to join a federal immigration enforcement initiative by signing an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to participate in the Warrant Service Officer (WSO) program. Sheriff Brian Albert confirmed the agreement has been signed, though it is not yet fully finalized. The WSO program allows trained local officers to execute administrative warrants on individuals already in custody for immigration violations.
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The WSO program operates under Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which was established through the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. It permits ICE to delegate specific immigration-related duties to state and local law enforcement officers who operate under ICE’s oversight. These duties include serving and executing civil immigration warrants within local detention facilities.
The 287(g) program is intended to enhance cooperation between ICE and local agencies to identify and remove individuals who are considered removable under immigration law, particularly those with criminal convictions or pending charges. Washington County’s participation will align it with more than 150 other law enforcement agencies across the country participating in the WSO program. A total of 380 law enforcement agencies participate in 287(g) programs, with six counties in Maryland participating. Nearby Frederick County, Maryland, has participated in the program’s Jail Enforcement Model since 2020.
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Under the Jail Enforcement Model, local officers assist ICE in identifying individuals who may be subject to removal while they are held in local jails. The WSO program, the most limited version, focuses specifically on enabling local officers to execute ICE-issued warrants without direct ICE presence at the jail. No Maryland counties participate in the Task Force Model, which allows officers to directly enforce immigration laws during routine police duties.
ICE states that these partnerships are critical to enforcing immigration laws and maintaining community safety. However, critics of the 287(g) program, such as the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, argue that 287(g) agreements can lead to racial profiling, erode trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement, and divert local resources away from public safety priorities. They also raise concerns about the lack of oversight, potential civil rights violations, and the use of administrative warrants that are not reviewed by a judge.
Article by multiple RFHC contributors, based upon information from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office
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