Time will tell on ICE partnerships
Earlier this year, the Post Falls Police Department entered into an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that allows the agency to perform immigration duties.
The Kootenai County Sheriff's Office did the same, as did the Idaho State Police. And most recently, the Spirit Lake Police Department. Other Idaho counties, including Franklin, Caribou, Washington, Bonneville, Bingham and Owyhee counties, previously came on board.
Post Falls was the first city in Idaho to join the federal 287(g) program, which allows trained local police officers to perform specific immigration enforcement functions under the supervision and direction of ICE.
“We are proud to continue our partnership with federal law enforcement to keep our city safe and we reiterate our commitment to enforcing the law,” said Post Falls Mayor Randy Westlund. “This partnership advances these goals and strengthens our community.”
Post Falls Police Chief Mark Brantl said that by participating in the program, officers will gain additional tools to address serious criminal activity linked to immigration violations.
"This agreement enables us to work more effectively with federal partners to remove dangerous individuals from our community, while continuing to focus on community-oriented policing," he said
Spirit Lake PD Chief Michael Morlan said: “All this is allowing is access to databases and to work in cooperation with ICE.”
Morlan said sharing resources with other law enforcement agencies is vital, especially for a smaller agency, and that the training will be valuable.
Coeur d'Alene, however, isn't so sure about the benefits of partnering with ICE.
The agency has been criticized for its handling of arrests and accused of poor training, physical abuse, civil rights violations and harassment. On the other hand, some praise them for their courage, dedication, professionalism and fairness.
The Coeur d’Alene Police Department does not intend to join the 287(g) task force program or partner with ICE, Chief Greg Yeager previously told the Press.
“It’s a tool that some agencies use,” he told the Coeur d'Alene Press in an email last month. “But not one we’ve had need of.”
Mayor Dan Gookin told The Press that “our police department isn’t interested in the program for various reasons.”
Council member Christie Wood expressed concerns about the local police department working with ICE agents, questioning whether they’re “well-trained” and whether the city would be left “cleaning up the mess.” She said she would support passing a resolution, but the city’s police department would comply with federal law.
The differing views of the mayors and police chiefs of Kootenai County's largest cities are interesting and highlight a debate.
Supporters see the 287(g) program as a practical tool that strengthens cooperation with federal authorities and helps remove dangerous criminals. Critics question whether the benefits outweigh the risks, including potential liability, training concerns and the impact on community trust.
One side is embracing closer cooperation with ICE as a commonsense public safety measure. The other sees little need for the program and worries about its potential consequences.
Right now, we don't know who's right.
As more Idaho agencies sign on, the real test will be whether these partnerships make communities safer without creating unintended problems. The Press, and the public will be watching.