Bennington
DHS Urges States, Local Police to Aid ICE Criminal Arrests
OKLAHOMA CITY — U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin this weekend implored states and cities to cooperate with federal immigration officials, which he said would lead to safer and lower-profile arrests and deportations. Speaking to a group of Democratic and…
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Key points
- U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin urged governors to honor federal detainers for undocumented immigrants convicted of crimes.
- DHS indicated federal security and training grants could be linked to local cooperation with ICE.
- ICE recorded over 43,000 arrests in June, marking a record high for federal enforcement.
OKLAHOMA CITY NewsWK — Federal homeland security officials are urging state governors across the country to increase cooperation between local police and federal immigration authorities. For residents in Bennington County and the tri-state area, this push comes amid ongoing debates over state policies regarding federal detainer requests.
According to a report first published by Stateline, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin addressed state leaders during the National Governors Association summer meeting in Oklahoma City on Aug. 1, 2026. Mullin called on state and local governments to assist federal agents in arresting and deporting unauthorized immigrants who have criminal convictions.
“We’re not doing job-site raids. We’re not going to Home Depot and raiding the parking lot. These are individuals that have already been convicted of a crime,” Mullin told governors, as reported by Stateline.
Federal Funding and Public Safety Concerns
Mullin explained that when local correctional facilities honor federal detainers, ICE agents can take custody of individuals directly from jails. He warned that when local jurisdictions decline to cooperate, federal agents must make arrests in public spaces, which increases safety risks for officers, targets, and community members.
The secretary also signaled that federal security grants, which help fund state anti-terrorism, cybersecurity, and law enforcement training programs, will be evaluated based on how well local governments partner with federal agencies.
Maryland Democratic Gov. Wes Moore, the incoming chair of the bipartisan governors group, acknowledged improved dialogue with the department. “There is an absolute difference in what we have seen from the start of the administration to now,” Moore said, as reported by Stateline.
Record Arrest Numbers and Legal Pathways
Federal immigration arrests reached record levels during the summer, according to ICE figures. Agents averaged 1,593 arrests per day in early July, following more than 43,000 total arrests in June.
Mullin noted that nearly 900,000 individuals became naturalized U.S. citizens over the past year. However, he emphasized that federal authorities will maintain a zero-tolerance policy for undocumented individuals with criminal records or those living in the country long-term without seeking legal status.
What This Means for Our Area
With neighboring states like New York, Vermont, and Massachusetts maintaining varying guidelines on local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration detainers, local officials will be watching closely to see how federal grant decisions unfold in the coming months.
This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by our editorial team.
Based on reporting by Kevin Hardy originally published by Stateline. Read the original story.
