Trump to distribute up to $3 billion to states and local governments for immigration cooperation

The Trump administration is allocating up to $3 billion to states and local governments that align with its immigration enforcement agenda, specifically through cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under the 287(g) program. This initiative incentivizes local agencies to act as extensions of federal immigration authorities.

The 287(g) agreements, originally part of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1996, were revived by the Trump administration in 2025 after a decade of disuse. An investigation by the Department of Justice had previously found that the program was misused, leading to indiscriminate raids in Latino communities and illegal detentions. Now, these pacts are central to the federal strategy for large-scale migrant expulsions.

Under these agreements, local law enforcement agents can perform specific immigration enforcement tasks. This includes questioning individuals about their immigration status and processing detainers, which allow local authorities to hold individuals until U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) takes custody. When Trump returned to office in January 2025, no "task force" 287(g) agreements were active, but this practice was reinstated later that year.

The funding is being offered through grants named BIDEN (Bridging Immigration-Related Deficits Experienced Nationwide), a name that suggests an intent to counteract alleged losses attributed to the Biden administration's immigration policies. To be eligible, applicants must have an established 287(g) agreement or commit to entering one, and participate in National Security Task Force operations or similar significant DOJ efforts. The program has already seen significant expansion, with cooperation agreements in place with 1,467 agencies across 32 states and two U.S. territories as of late July.