Joint Operations With Local Police

Joint Operations With Local Police

How to recognize operations where ICE works alongside — or hides behind — local police, including 2025 patterns and common tactics.

ICE frequently conducts arrests and raids with support from local police departments. These joint operations can be difficult to identify because ICE agents often blend in with local officers or rely on police authority to legitimize their presence. Understanding these patterns helps you document who was actually involved and hold both agencies accountable.

1. Why Joint Operations Happen

Local police collaborate with ICE for several reasons:

• 287(g) agreements allowing police to act as immigration agents
• Task-force partnerships where ICE embeds officers in local units
• “Assistance requests” during targeted at-home arrests
• Police providing perimeter security for ICE operations
• Local agencies offering backup when ICE expects resistance

Many cities claim to be “sanctuary” while still permitting certain forms of collaboration, especially during criminal-tagged arrests or shared task forces.

2. How Joint Operations Look in the Field

Joint operations almost never look like a single unified team. Instead, they typically appear as:

• Local police cars arriving first
• Unmarked SUVs (ICE/HSI) lurking nearby
• Officers in local police uniforms alongside plainclothes ICE agents
• ICE agents wearing “POLICE” vests to blend in
• Multiple vehicles from different jurisdictions parked together

ICE often stays in the background until the moment of the arrest.

3. Identifying Local Police vs ICE in a Mixed Team

Police:

• Full uniforms
• Local patches (city, county, sheriff)
• Marked cars with lights visible
• City or county badge numbers

ICE:

• Plain clothes
• Black/blue tactical vests
• “POLICE” with no city or county name
• No shoulder patches
• Unmarked SUVs or vans nearby

If you see both present, treat it as a joint operation even if ICE remains quiet or in the background.

4. 287(g) Indicators

287(g) agreements allow local police to conduct certain ICE functions.

Signs this is happening:

• Local officers asking immigration-status questions
• Police transporting someone to a facility known for ICE transfers
• Booking forms referencing ICE detainers
• Local police standing guard while plainclothes agents make the arrest
• Police claiming “we’re assisting federal authorities”

Even if no ICE markings appear, the presence of these behaviors strongly suggests a joint action.

5. Traffic Stops Involving ICE

ICE commonly partners with police during targeted vehicle stops. Typical patterns include:

• Local police initiate the stop
• ICE arrives in unmarked SUVs minutes later
• ICE agents take over questioning or remove the person from the vehicle
• Police remain behind to manage traffic or create a perimeter

If you see a normal traffic stop suddenly inflates into a multi-vehicle scene with unmarked SUVs, this is often ICE.

6. Workplace or Street Operations

During workplace raids or street arrests:

• Local police may block intersections or entrances
• Police may detain bystanders to prevent interference
• ICE agents conduct the actual arrest
• Police act as a buffer, creating distance between ICE and the public

These operations typically involve:

• Multiple unmarked vehicles
• One or two marked patrol cars
• Agents in mixed gear (local uniforms + ICE plainclothes)

7. How to Record a Joint Operation Safely

If it is safe:

• Record both **marked** and **unmarked** vehicles
• Capture **local police** patches and any **ICE/HSI** gear
• Note the behavior of each agency:

 * Who made the arrest?  
 * Who initiated contact?  
 * Who blocked the street?  
 * Who transported the detainee?  

• Document any claims of warrants or detainers

A single video angle will rarely show everything. Move only if safe.

8. Accountability Issues (2025)

Joint operations make it easier for agencies to avoid responsibility:

• Local police claim ICE led the action
• ICE claims they only “assisted”
• Neither wants to acknowledge collaboration

This is why documentation is essential — especially:

• Plates
• Patches
• Vehicle models
• Audio of what officers say

States with “sanctuary” policies often still allow informal cooperation, making documentation even more important.

9. What To Write in a Report

When submitting an incident:

• Identify which officers acted as police vs ICE
• Note if local police provided perimeter/security
• Describe which agency spoke to bystanders
• Document any restraints, detentions, or transport
• List all marked + unmarked vehicles near the scene

If unsure:

• Write “unknown agency” and describe the gear

We can analyze it.

See Also

• 287(g) Agreements
• ICE Vehicle Identification
• Plainclothes and Gear Patterns
• Know Your Rights