Bill Summary
The "287(g) Cooperation Act of 2026" aims to amend section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act by requiring state or local law enforcement agencies to enter into written memorandums of agreement with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a condition for receiving grants under the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program. Specifically, if a law enforcement agency does not have an agreement with DHS within 180 days of the Act's enactment, it will be ineligible to apply for or receive COPS grants. The Attorney General will work with DHS to establish procedures for verifying compliance with this requirement. This legislation is effective immediately upon enactment and applies to grant applications for fiscal year 2027 and beyond.
Possible Impacts
The "287(g) Cooperation Act of 2026" could affect people in various ways. Here are three examples:
1. **Impact on Local Law Enforcement Agencies**: If a state or local law enforcement agency does not enter into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) within 180 days of the law's enactment, it will become ineligible for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grants. This could hinder the ability of local agencies to receive funding for community policing initiatives, potentially reducing resources for crime prevention and community engagement programs.
2. **Effects on Immigrant Communities**: The requirement for local law enforcement to collaborate with ICE may lead to increased fear and mistrust within immigrant communities. Individuals may be less likely to report crimes or cooperate with police if they believe that law enforcement is acting as an agent of immigration enforcement. This could undermine public safety by discouraging community members from engaging with law enforcement.
3. **Funding Allocation and Law Enforcement Priorities**: The legislation could shift the priorities of local law enforcement agencies toward immigration enforcement at the expense of other community policing efforts. Agencies may focus more on compliance with ICE requirements to secure funding, potentially leading to a change in how they allocate resources and the types of initiatives they pursue, which could affect overall community safety and trust in law enforcement.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8077 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8077
To amend section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to make
the entering into of memorandums of agreement with U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement a condition of eligibility for the Community
Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 25, 2026
Mr. Cline (for himself, Mr. Carter of Georgia, Mr. Harris of North
Carolina, Mr. McGuire, Mr. Grothman, Mr. Griffith, Mrs. Kiggans of
Virginia, Mr. Moore of Alabama, Mr. Cloud, and Mr. Biggs of Arizona)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to make
the entering into of memorandums of agreement with U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement a condition of eligibility for the Community
Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant program.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``287(g) Cooperation Act of 2026''.
SEC. 2. PARTICIPATION IN 287(G) PROGRAM.
Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1357(g)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (10) and (11) as paragraphs
(11) and (12), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (9) the following:
``(10)(A) Any State or political subdivision of a State
that maintains a law enforcement agency that, not later than
180 days after the date of enactment of the 287(g) Cooperation
Act of 2026, has not entered into a written memorandum of
agreement with the Secretary of Homeland Security under this
subsection is ineligible to apply for or receive any grant
under the `Community Oriented Policing Services' program or any
successor program administered by the Department of Justice.
``(B) The Attorney General shall consult with the Secretary
of Homeland Security to establish procedures for determining
whether an agency has entered into such a memorandum of
agreement before approving the award of any grant under the
Community Oriented Policing Services program.''.
SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect on
the date of enactment and shall apply to all grant applications
submitted under the Community Oriented Policing Services program for
fiscal year 2027 and each fiscal year thereafter.
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