More than 29,000 state and local law enforcement officers have been deputized to assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), roughly doubling the February total, according to a new analysis from immigration policy group FWD.us. The number now exceeds the approximately 11,600 deportation officers employed directly by ICE, reflecting the rapid expansion of partnerships between federal immigration authorities and local agencies.

The officers participate in ICE’s 287(g) program, which allows the federal government to delegate certain immigration enforcement powers to state and local police under the Immigration and Nationality Act. Much of the recent growth has come through the program’s Task Force Model, which President Donald Trump’s administration revived on January 20, 2025, after it was discontinued in 2012.

Under the model, participating officers can question drivers and pedestrians about their immigration status and turn people over to ICE during routine patrols. By October 1, more than 1,850 law enforcement agencies across 30 states and two U.S. territories had enrolled.

The expansion has been accompanied by a sharp increase in immigration arrests. Deputized officers made more than 47,000 arrests between January 2025 and early August 2026, according to the FWD.us analysis. Monthly arrests climbed from approximately 300 at the beginning of the period to 6,632 in July 2026.

Between May and July, officers working through the program accounted for 14% to 15% of all ICE arrests, compared with 2.5% in January 2025. Florida recorded more than 15,000 arrests, while Texas accounted for approximately 9,000. Together, the two states represented roughly half the national total.

In some states, local law enforcement partnerships account for a particularly large share of immigration arrests. Deputized officers were responsible for 77% of Wyoming’s immigration arrests in April 2026 and 60% of New Hampshire’s in June. Oklahoma’s share approached half that month after the state Highway Patrol enrolled all its troopers in the program.

Felicity Rose, vice president of research and policy at FWD.us, described the partnerships as an increasingly important part of the administration’s enforcement strategy. She told NPR that the program allows immigration enforcement to expand through routine police work rather than relying exclusively on highly visible operations in major cities.

The expansion has also drawn criticism from immigration policy advocates. Gabriela Ramirez-Perez, an immigration policy analyst with the Oklahoma Policy Institute, said the program was creating fear in immigrant communities, with some residents reportedly avoiding highways altogether.

Federal funding is providing another incentive for local agencies to participate. The Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs launched a $3 billion grant initiative this summer known as Bridging Immigration-related Deficits Experienced Nationwide, or BIDEN. Applicants must participate in a 287(g) partnership or commit to joining one.

FWD.us separately estimates that participating agencies have paid or obligated between $1.9 billion and $2.2 billion through fiscal year 2026. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, has defended the program as an important tool for combating crime and illegal immigration. The growing number of participating officers gives federal authorities a substantially larger network of local law enforcement personnel available to support immigration enforcement.