Murray police rebuff talk about plans to partner with ICE on immigration issues

The talk on social media about a possible accord between Murray and immigration officials stemmed from an item on the original agenda for the meeting set for Wednesday, Sept. 10, of the Murray Public Safety Advisory Board. As worded, some got the impression an agreement was looming, but Kristin Reardon, the police department spokeswoman, said the plan was just for a general discussion on the topic by advisory board members.

The agenda item in question was amended, Reardon said, “so people wouldn’t think we’re having some big meeting to talk about potentially going with ICE.”

Either way, the advisory board serves as a liaison between the public and the police and fire departments in Murray and wouldn’t likely be the place where formal debate on whether to enter into an agreement would start. Reardon said an advisory board member asked to put the topic on the agenda “because she wanted feedback from police on our take on what’s happening in the valley.”

As the agenda item was amended, it now reads, “Clarification of Murray City Police Department’s position of not collaborating with ICE and potential deployment of the National Guard for immigration enforcement.” Separately from the accords some local law enforcement agencies have been reaching with federal immigration officials, known as 287(g) agreements, the Utah National Guard has been asked to aid in federal officials’ immigration crackdown.

The issue similarly emerged in Provo last month, prompting the Provo Police Department to issue a statement emphasizing that the department isn’t involved in federal efforts to crack down on illegal immigration.

As described by proponents, 287(g) agreements facilitate communication with immigration authorities, enabling local law enforcement to determine whether suspects they are dealing with are in the country illegally or face deportation. Local law enforcement officials receive training in accessing federal immigration records and working with federal authorities, aiding with efforts at jails and in the field to identify immigrants in the country illegally.

Many in Utah County clamored in July against the creation of a 287(g) agreement between the Utah County Sheriff’s Office and federal immigration officials, but officials decided to go ahead with the plans. Critics worry such accords could deter some in the immigrant community from seeking help from law enforcement when they need it and lead to racial profiling.

Proponents, on the other hand, see 287(g) accords as a way of locating criminal immigrants in the country illegally, thereby augmenting public safety. In a post to social media on Monday, the Salt Lake field office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement noted the accord with the Weber County Sheriff’s Office that figured in the recent arrest of an immigrant from Chile.

The suspect “is a member of a Transnational Criminal Organization for theft plus he waaaay overstayed his visa. Now, thanks to the partnership we have with @WeberCoSheriff, he’ll be sent home to Chile,” the post reads.