WICOMICO Co., Md. - Wicomico County Officials have announced their plans to move ahead with their plans to work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as part of ICE’s Warrant Service Officer program.
The program, a form of partnership known as 287(g), would allow specially trained officers to serve and execute immigration warrants on people already in custody. Other forms of 287(g) are the Jail Enforcement Model and the Task Force Model, the latter which would allow local law enforcement to conduct immigration arrests while on duty in place of ICE.
Wicomico County leaders have stood firm they were interested in only the Warrant Service Officer program of 287(g) and that Wicomico County Sheriff’s deputies would not be making immigration arrests in the streets.
Wicomico officials said Thursday that joining the partnership with ICE would provide clear guardrails on how to handle immigration-related responsibilities at the local level and ensure consistency, accountability, and proper oversight.
“Public safety is our top responsibility,” said County Executive Julie Giordano. “The Warrant Service Officer program provides our Sheriff’s Office with the tools they need to address individuals already in custody who may pose a risk to our community at no additional cost to the county. I am proud to stand with Sheriff Lewis in supporting this model, which is built on accountability, collaboration, and a strong partnership with ICE.”
Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis said the new partnership would also benefit his deputies.
“This program gives our deputies the ability to safely and lawfully carry out their duties while ensuring that Wicomico County remains a secure place to live, work, and raise a family,” said Sheriff Lewis. “With the WSO model in partnership with ICE, we can better protect our citizens while upholding the rule of law.”
On Wednesday, WBOC spoke with both county leaders who supported the possible partnership as well as members of a coalition calling on Wicomico to abandon the agreement.
With Thursday’s announcement, Wicomico County is poised to become the first government or police entity on Delmarva to officially enter the 287(g) program with ICE. In Delaware, the Camden Police Department previously withdrew from a partnership with ICE following public backlash in May.