OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Oklahoma County Sheriff Tommie Johnson is asking Oklahoma County Commissioners to consider a new agreement with federal immigration officials that would give some sheriff’s deputies authority to carry out certain immigration-enforcement duties.
If approved, the agreement would place local deputies in a role that is normally handled by federal immigration officers.
A letter from Johnson attached to Wednesday’s agenda item outlines a request for a narrowly tailored role for Oklahoma County deputies under a federal program known as 287(G).
In the letter, Johnson stresses that he is not creating a task force, adding that his deputies would not be wearing masks.
Instead, the proposal would create a partnership between the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.
Under the agreement, only deputies who are nominated, trained, certified and authorized by ICE could perform federal immigration functions, including making certain immigration arrests, serving immigration warrants, issuing immigration detainers and taking people into custody on ICE’s behalf.
The agreement includes limits on that authority.
When deputies are performing immigration functions, they would work under ICE direction and supervision. Deputies would also have to complete ICE training covering immigration law, use of force, civil rights, detention and complaint procedures before they could exercise that authority.
The county would be responsible for deputies’ salaries, benefits, local transportation and other personnel costs associated with the program.
The agreement says the authorization for each participating deputy would initially last two years and could be revoked by either ICE or the sheriff’s office.
County commissioners are expected to discuss and take possible action on the agreement Wednesday.
If approved, Oklahoma County would join a federal program that has expanded the role of local law enforcement in immigration enforcement.
