Investigative journalism rooted in the experiences of our neighbors.
State law now mandates that Arkansas county sheriffs apply for a 287(g) partnership, which deputizes local law enforcement agencies to act as federal immigration enforcement. These are all the agencies in Arkansas with active partnerships.
The Department of Homeland Security reimburses trained police officers' salaries, bonuses, overtime, and promises up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding to departments that sign up for the most extreme version of the immigration enforcement program.
GRITA's analysis also found that Benton County Jail likely underreported the number of Hispanic or Latino individuals booked into the jail.
Counselor Monica Vallejo held the first in a series of free workshops recently in Northwest Arkansas specifically for Hispanic families distressed by the growing presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
The Arkansas GRITA is community-led, empowered journalism illuminating the impact of immigration enforcement in our neighborhoods. Arkansans have the inalienable right to transparency from their elected officials and employed agencies.
