Benton County Jail Emerges as Key ICE Detention Site Amid Immigration Enforcement Surge
BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Benton County Jail in Arkansas has become a significant hub for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detentions, with more than 450 arrests recorded from January 1 through October 15, according to data reviewed by The Associated Press. This averages to about 1.5 arrests per day in a county with a population just over 300,000.
The surge in arrests reflects a broader expansion of cooperation agreements between local law enforcement agencies and federal immigration authorities across the United States. In Arkansas, the implementation of the “Defense Against Criminal Illegals Act,” which took effect in August, has increased penalties for illegal immigrants convicted of serious violent felonies and authorized local sheriffs to collaborate more closely with ICE.
Signed into law by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the legislation also permits Arkansas law enforcement to participate in ICE’s federal 287(g) program. This program authorizes local deputies to question individuals booked into jail about their immigration status and to serve immigration warrants on those already in custody for other offenses.
Most arrests at Benton County Jail have been made through this 287(g) agreement. Deputies use the program to identify inmates suspected of being in the country illegally, notify ICE, and transfer those individuals into federal custody. After a brief stay at the county jail, detainees are moved to a detention center in another county and subsequently transported to a facility in Louisiana to face potential deportation.
Benton County’s 287(g) program accounts for over 4% of all nationwide arrests linked to similar local immigration enforcement programs. Nationwide, the Department of Homeland Security and ICE reported more than 1,000 active 287(g) agreements with state and local agencies as of September, marking a 641% increase from 135 programs.
According to the AP, about half of those arrested through the program have been convicted of crimes, while the remainder face pending charges. Recent ICE holds in Benton County have involved individuals charged with offenses including forgery, sexual assault, drug trafficking, theft, public intoxication, domestic violence allegations, and unsafe driving.
The increase in immigration enforcement activity in Benton County coincides with the county’s relatively high immigrant population compared to other areas in Arkansas, officials said. The local-federal partnership under the 287(g) program has made the county jail a focal point in the state’s immigration crackdown efforts.
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