LG Council Votes to Participate with ICE

The La Grange City Council met in executive session Monday night to discuss a participation agreement between the police department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

After reconvening in open session, the Council voted to pursue an agreement with ICE through its 287(g) program.

ICE offers law enforcement agencies training and funding in exchange for participation with immigration enforcement activities. Local agencies can partner with ICE through three participation models. In an interview after the meeting, La Grange Police Chief David Gilbreath said his department will partner with ICE under the “task force” model.

According to ICE, the task force model “allows your officers to enforce limited immigration authority while performing routine police duties or as an active participant in an ICE-led task force.”

Gilbreath said La Grange Police have always cooperated with federal immigration officials.

“Nothing will change with the La Grange Police Department and the way we conduct business with our citizens in the community,” Gilbreath said.

The new agreement could, however, bring much-needed funds to the department, he said.

According to an ICE brochure about the 287(g) program, task force agencies can receive up to $7,500 for equipment for each officer, $100,000 for new vehicles, reimbursements for salary and benefits and overtime funds up to 25% of salary.

Gilbreath said he hopes to use the ICE money to purchase new tasers and load-bearing vests for his officers. Gilbreath said he requested funds for tasers in this year’s city budget, but he wasn’t yet sure if the Council would approve the request. Gilbreath said there are no funds currently available in the City budget to purchase the vests, which help to prevent hip injuries.

The Council voted 6-1 Monday night to pursue the ICE agreement. Councilwoman Bonnie Busch was absent from the meeting. Councilwoman Kathy Weishuhn cast the lone dissenting vote.

In an interview with the Record on Tuesday, Weishuhn explained her reason for voting against the agreement.

“It’s great that we’re going to get money,” Weishuhn said. “But it seems too good to be true. I don’t want our employees put into a situation where they may end up having to do something that wouldn’t be in the interest of the City. And I’m concerned, with everything being published about ICE, that could happen.”