Overview
- In mid-August, ICE published a planning document proposing that local officers who are trained and deputized under 287(g)-style partnerships could buy professional liability insurance with coverage up to $500,000.
- Under the plan officers would front the premium and receive reimbursements of up to $250 per year, an amount ICE says roughly matches expected policy costs.
- The document says ICE may hire a contractor to run outreach, select an insurance vendor, and process reimbursements but it does not set a launch date or estimate total program costs.
- Supporters in law enforcement have welcomed the idea as a way to remove a financial barrier to joining ICE task forces while critics say third-party insurance could weaken incentives for individual accountability and oversight.
- The proposal comes after a rapid expansion of 287(g) partnerships since January 2025 and follows growing gaps in existing coverage, because some local risk pools and insurers have excluded proactive immigration enforcement from liability policies.