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Articles

CUJPIA: VOL. 13 NO. 2, DECEMBER 2025

Immigration Enforcement Policies and Their Impact on Local Law Enforcement

Submitted
January 25, 2026
Published
2025-12-31

Abstract

This study looks at how local law enforcement organizations in the US are affected by federal immigration enforcement policy. It draws attention to the ways that programs like Secure Communities and the 287(g) programs have dissolved the distinction between local and federal responsibilities, changing policing tactics, community trust, and resource distribution. The study examines the effects of cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on community policing, operational goals, and civil rights safeguards by drawing on legal frameworks, case studies, and scholarly literature. Additionally, it examines the ethical and legal issues that local agencies deal with, such as racial profiling, Fourth Amendment issues, and conflicts between local autonomy and federal obligations. Some case studies from communities like Maricopa County, Los Angeles, and San Francisco show how cooperative and non-cooperative methods to immigration enforcement have different results. In order to assist local law enforcement in striking a balance between
public safety, civil liberties, and federal obligations in a rapidly changing immigration
landscape, the paper ends by projecting future trends, including increased data sharing, expanded sanctuary policies, and heightened civil rights scrutiny.

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