The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Is Detaining People for ICE

"According to the documents, LDWF signed a memorandum of agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in May, which gives the wildlife agency the authority to detain people suspected of immigration violations and to transfer them into ICE custody. Since then, at least six men entered ICE custody after coming into contact with or being detained by LDWF officers. None of the men were issued criminal charges at the time they came into contact with LDWF officers, the documents show."

"The documents also indicate that at least one "joint patrol" took place in a Louisiana wildlife management area in which LDWF agents were accompanied by officers with Customs and Border Protection and the US Coast Guard. The memorandum of agreement between ICE and LDWF makes no mention of CBP or the possibility of working with the agency as part of the agreement. However, the documents indicate that a relationship with CBP may have been facilitated through LDWF's partnership with ICE."

"LDWF partnered with ICE under the agency's 287(g) program, named after the section of the Immigration and Nationality Act that enables officers and employees at the state or local level to perform some of the functions of US immigration officers, such as investigating, apprehending, detaining, or transporting people suspected of violating immigration law. As of December 3, exactly 1,205 agencies have partnered with ICE through the 287(g) program."

LDWF signed a memorandum of agreement with ICE in May granting the wildlife agency authority to detain people suspected of immigration violations and transfer them into ICE custody. Since the agreement, at least six men entered ICE custody after contact with or detention by LDWF officers, and none were issued criminal charges at the time; two were known by ICE to be legally present when taken into custody. At least one joint patrol occurred in a Louisiana wildlife management area with CBP and US Coast Guard officers. The partnership was formed under the federal 287(g) program, which enables state and local personnel to perform certain immigration enforcement functions. As of December 3, 1,205 agencies have partnered with ICE through 287(g).

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