Why an ICE researcher is worried about Missouri police signing agreements with the agency

Why an ICE researcher is worried about Missouri police signing agreements with the agency

Author: St. Louis Public Radio March 12, 2026 Duration: 23:44
Agreements between local police departments and ICE have ballooned during Trump’s second term. More than 60 so-called “287(g)” contracts have been signed in Missouri. The spread of these agreements worries Austin Kocher, a Syracuse University researcher who focuses on the federal immigration system. In an interview with STLPR visuals editor Brian Munoz, Kocher shares insights from his research into the contracts and why he is concerned about local law enforcement being used to further the Trump administration’s immigration policies.

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