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To check whether a state police agency publishes immigration-enforcement policies or agreements, search its official website and records portal, check ICE’s 287(g) materials and other relevant federal and state sources, then request records that are not posted. Report what you checked and what each agency said: not finding a document online does not prove that no document exists.

1. Identify the agency and its official website

Start with the agency’s exact formal name and confirm it through the state government’s official directory. A state police agency may be distinct from the department of public safety, highway patrol, corrections department, or county sheriff; searching the wrong agency can produce misleading results.

On the agency’s official site, check its policy or manuals library, directives or general orders, public-records portal, agreements and contracts, news releases, and any board or commission materials. Search the site for terms such as:

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  • immigration, ICE, DHS, or federal law enforcement
  • 287(g), 287(g) agreement, or Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)
  • Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), cooperation, or joint task force
  • immigration detainer or immigration status

Do not rely on the site’s search box alone. It may not index PDFs or archived pages. Search the open web using the agency’s official domain together with the terms above, and note which pages and document libraries you checked.

2. Check ICE records for formal 287(g) agreements

ICE describes Section 287(g) as authority for delegating specified immigration-officer functions to state and local officers under ICE direction and supervision. Its 287(g) program page is a key place to check for a formal partnership. Search for the agency and, where available, open the agreement itself, its attachments, and amendments. A general reference to cooperation with ICE is not by itself proof of a 287(g) agreement.

When you find an agreement, record the details that establish what it is and what it covers:

  • the named agency and signatories
  • execution and effective dates, agreement or model type, and any amendments
  • the functions delegated and the officers or units covered
  • supervision and training terms
  • duration, renewal, and termination provisions

Compare the agency’s copy with federal records if the dates or terms differ. Agreements can change: state when you checked, and distinguish a historical document from one currently listed or in force. Do not treat an old copy as evidence of current status.

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3. Look for state-level guidance and oversight records

A police agency’s website may not be the only place where relevant material appears. Check publications from the state attorney general, department of public safety, immigration or civil-rights office, and any relevant oversight body. These sources may publish guidance, model policies, or records about agency interactions with immigration authorities.

For example, on July 1, 2026, the California Attorney General announced guidance and model policies for state and local agencies addressing interactions with immigration authorities, access to agency spaces, information requests, and agency databases. This is a California-specific example, not a rule for other states. See the California DOJ announcement.

4. Request records that are not posted online

Request state-held records from the state agency

Use the state’s public-records law and the agency’s designated request channel. Procedures, exemptions, response times, and appeal routes vary by state, so check the rules for the relevant jurisdiction. Ask for existing records rather than asking the agency to answer broad questions.

Define the date range and the records you want. Depending on the issue, categories might include current and superseded immigration-related policies, general orders, ICE or DHS agreements, MOAs or MOUs and amendments, training directives, and correspondence about negotiation, implementation, renewal, or termination. Specify relevant divisions or likely record custodians when you can.

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Request ICE-held records separately

For records ICE may hold, first check its FOIA request guidance and the ICE FOIA Library. ICE identifies policies, contracts, reports, and emails as examples of records that may be available through its library. If the material is not posted, describe the records, time period, and likely ICE office or program as specifically as possible. ICE processes requests for existing records; it does not create new analyses or answer general questions. You can also inspect the DHS FOIA Library.

For example, a focused request could seek current and superseded policies, general orders, MOAs or MOUs, amendments, training materials, and directives concerning a named state police agency’s interactions with ICE, DHS, or other federal immigration authorities during a defined period. Tailor the categories and custodians to the agency and question. Make separate requests to state and federal custodians when both may hold records; a response from one does not establish what the other has.

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5. Distinguish the possible results

Describe the outcome precisely and identify the source and date. These statements mean different things:

  • Posted: “The agency posts policy X and agreement Y on its public website, checked [date].”
  • Not located online: “I did not locate a policy or agreement in the agency’s public policy and records pages or in the ICE 287(g) listing as of [date].”
  • Request pending: “The agency acknowledged the request but has not produced records.”
  • No responsive records: “The agency stated that it located no responsive records.”
  • Withheld: “The agency withheld some or all responsive material under a cited exemption.”

A missing search result does not show that a policy or agreement does not exist. Likewise, a no-records response from one custodian says only what that custodian reported; another agency may hold a copy. Keep a record of the sources and search terms used, the date checked, and any request tracking number or response.

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How to compare documents you find

Keep formal agreements separate from internal policies, state legal guidance, and press statements. If you are comparing multiple documents or agencies, use the same criteria for each:

  • issuer, parties, and signatories
  • publication and effective dates, and whether the document is current, superseded, or amended
  • authority claimed or delegated and operational scope
  • covered officers, units, or agencies
  • supervision, training, and information-sharing provisions
  • duration, renewal, and termination terms
  • where the document was published or requested

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