The Department of Homeland Security announced Tuesday a new program that will reimburse state and local law enforcement agencies for helping enforce federal immigration laws, with payments set to begin Oct. 1. Under the initiative, officers participating in the 287(g) program will have their salaries, benefits and up to 25% in overtime costs covered by the federal government.
Law enforcement agencies will also qualify for quarterly performance bonuses of $500 to $1,000 per officer, depending on the number of immigration arrests made.
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The 287(g) program
The 287(g) program is not new, but it has expanded rapidly under President Donald Trump. The program, authorized under the Immigration and Nationality Act, allows local police and sheriffs to work alongside U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
It has grown more than sixfold under Trump, now including nearly 960 agreements between the federal government and local law enforcement agencies across 40 states. More than 8,500 officers are currently trained, with another 2,000 in the pipeline, according to DHS.
New incentives
The financial incentives are new under the DHS program. It not only compensates partnered local and state police departments but also its officers.
Under the new program, agencies can qualify for quarterly bonuses on a sliding scale: $1,000 for officers with a 90% or higher success rate, $750 for those between 80% and 89%, and $500 for rates between 70% and 79%.
Hiring push
The rollout comes alongside a major hiring push within ICE. Following the passage of President Trump’s $30 billion “Big Beautiful Bill,” the agency is seeking 10,000 new officers and has received more than 100,000 applications. Incentives included signing bonuses of up to $50,000, student loan repayment and starting salaries that can exceed $90,000.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said the agency has also removed its age cap for applicants and plans to expand training facilities beyond its Georgia headquarters to accelerate onboarding.
ICE’s hiring surge and expansion fit into Trump’s broader immigration agenda, which centers on mass deportations and a dramatic scaling up of enforcement. By offering incentives to both new ICE recruits and local police agencies, the administration is working to build the infrastructure needed to carry out millions of removals over the next several years.
