Small Towns Run on Trust, the 287(g) Program Erodes It

By any measure, Wisconsin agriculture runs on trusting relationships. Neighbors help neighbors. Deputies know the folks they serve. Farmers depend on a stable team to milk cows, and harvest vegetables. The federal 287(g) program erodes the trust that keeps small towns humming.

If you have not heard of 287(g), here is the short version. Congress added Section 287(g) to the Immigration and Nationality Act in 1996. It lets U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement utilize local law enforcement to carry out certain federal immigration duties. Sheriffs or police departments sign an agreement with ICE, local officers receive training to act as immigration agents, and those officers can then investigate immigration status, detain people, and help start deportation proceedings.

On paper, the program claims to target serious criminals and make communities safer. On the ground, it often means a busted taillight or a minor infraction can spiral into detention and the threat of family separation. That is not a theory. We have seen it play out in rural counties across the country, and we are now living with it in Wisconsin.

Since 2017, several Wisconsin counties have adopted 287(g) agreements. They include Brown, Fond du Lac, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marquette, Outagamie, Sheboygan, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago, and Wood. In these counties, local deputies are empowered to act as federal immigration agents. When that line blurs, trust frays. And when trust frays, public safety suffers.

Here is why farmers should care. Immigrant workers are essential to Wisconsin agriculture. Dairy is a year round job. Processing plants keep product moving. Produce farms need skilled crews to plant, tend, and harvest. When families who fill those jobs feel targeted, they go into the shadows. People avoid reporting crimes. Parents fear driving to school events. Workers skip medical appointments. Employers struggle to staff key roles. The ripple effects reach church pews, grocery aisles, and Main Street registers.

Some will say 287(g) only affects people who break the law. That misses real life in rural communities. Traffic stops and minor infractions are common. When the stakes of a simple stop include immigration detention, fear takes over. That fear does not make a single barn safer or a single roadway more secure. It only makes it harder for law enforcement to do the everyday work that keeps small towns running. Deputies are pulled from community policing to process paperwork tied to a federal system. That is a poor use of local resources and taxpayer dollars.

This is also about families. Our farm economy depends on mixed status households where some members are citizens and others are in different stages of immigration. 287(g) turns everyday life into a risk calculation. Do we drive to the vet if a calf is sick. Do we bring the kids to practice. Do we call for help when we need it. That constant stress is not a recipe for a healthy workforce or a healthy community.

We have a choice. We can double down on policies that separate neighbors and weaken trust. Or we can back solutions that keep families together, support a stable farm workforce, and allow local law enforcement to focus on community safety.

Here are a few practical steps you can take:

• Call your local leaders. County supervisors and sheriffs work for you. Ask them to oppose new or renewed 287(g) agreements. Share how this program affects your farm, your workforce, and your sense of safety.

TAKE ACTION HERE!

• Connect with immigrant advocacy groups. Organizations like Voces de la Frontera have called 287(g) discriminatory and harmful. They are partnering with groups across the state for a Statewide Tour to Stop 287(g). Reach out to learn what is happening near you and how to get involved.

• Support your neighbors. Speak out against racial profiling and family separation. If you have a local paper, submit an op ed. If you use social media, share accurate information and local resources. Our words carry weight in small communities.

• Host a Know Your Rights workshop. County Farmers Union chapters can bring in partners to offer trainings for workers and families. Worker Justice of Wisconsin provides Know Your Rights sessions at no cost. To learn more, contact Allison Crook at acrook@wisconsinfarmersunion.com.

• Loop in WFU for help. If you want support drafting an op ed or placing a piece with local media, the Wisconsin Farmers Union communications team can help. If you want to talk through questions about 287(g), contact WFU Government Relations Director Michelle Ramirez White at mramirezwhite@wisconsinfarmersunion.com or (715) 450 9507.

Wisconsin’s farm families know what it takes to build something that lasts. You show up for morning chores. You fix what is broken. You invest in relationships. 287(g) does the opposite. It makes people hide. It pulls officers away from the work that builds trust. It chips away at the local ties that make rural life possible.

We deserve a better approach to immigration than fear at a traffic stop and families torn apart over minor issues. We need policies that match our values and our needs. That means keeping local law enforcement focused on community safety, supporting a stable agricultural workforce, and treating every neighbor with dignity.

This is not a partisan point. It is a practical one. Strong farms need strong communities. Strong communities need trust. Let’s set 287(g) aside and keep local officers focused on local safety.

TAKE ACTION HERE!