Metro Police Applies for Federal Immigration Agreement
The Clark County Metropolitan Police Department has applied to join a formal partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The agreement would allow Metro officers to hold undocumented immigrants in jail for an additional two days so ICE can pick them up.
This marks a shift from Metro’s current policy. Right now, they notify ICE about immigrants accused of certain crimes and tell them when those people will be released. The new agreement would let them actually hold people longer.
Sheriff Kevin McMahill told reporters he doesn’t want undocumented criminals “in my community anymore.” The sheriff’s office did not respond to requests for additional comment about the timing of their application.
How the 287(g) Program Works
The partnership is called a 287(g) agreement. It lets local police officers do some immigration enforcement work inside their jails. Under the pending agreement, Metro would be able to hold undocumented people for up to two extra days while waiting for ICE pickup.
This only applies to the Clark County Detention Center, which Metro runs directly. Jails in Las Vegas, Henderson, or North Las Vegas are not included. However, people charged with serious crimes like felonies get transferred to the county jail, where the new rules would apply.
About 350 people currently sitting in Metro detention are eligible for ICE pickup, according to McMahill. He said ICE picks up about 40 percent of the people they get notified about, with daily pickups from the jail.
The Sanctuary City Controversy
The application comes less than a week after Las Vegas appeared on a federal list of “sanctuary jurisdictions.” The Department of Homeland Security quietly removed that list after heavy criticism from local officials.
Both Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley and Republican Governor Joe Lombardo said the sanctuary city label was wrong. Berkley called it “an inadvertent error.” Lombardo said “the City of Las Vegas is not a sanctuary jurisdiction.”
However, Senate Minority Leader Robin Titus, a Republican from Wellington, said there “was some truth in it” and called on Las Vegas and other Nevada jurisdictions to enter 287(g) programs.
Read our prior coverage:
The Las Vegas ‘Sanctuary City’ Debate: Why I Respectfully Disagree with Senator Titus
Money and Federal Funding
The Trump administration has threatened to withhold federal funding from jurisdictions labeled as sanctuaries. This could have major impacts in Nevada, which receives billions in federal dollars for Medicaid and other programs.
McMahill said his department risked losing about $30 million in funding for programs and personnel if deemed noncompliant with Trump administration orders. Metro has received more than $50 million in federal grants over the past decade.
The sheriff previously said Metro doesn’t have enough resources to help with immigration tasks beyond what they already do in county jails.
A Change in Position
This application represents a shift for McMahill. He has previously said Metro would only enter such an agreement if federal law required it. Congress has not passed any law requiring 287(g) participation. Multiple court cases have ruled that participation is voluntary.
Metro had a 287(g) agreement until 2019, when the agency withdrew from it under then-Sheriff Joe Lombardo, who is now governor. That decision came after a federal court ruled that ICE detainers could only be honored in states with specific laws addressing civil immigration arrests.
Other Nevada Counties
Three Nevada counties already have active 287(g) agreements: Lyon, Douglas, and Mineral. Nye County said it applied for the program partly because it could risk being deemed “noncompliant” with federal immigration law.
Henderson said it will not participate in 287(g) programs. North Las Vegas has not responded to questions about their position.
What Happens Next
The agreement still needs final approval from ICE. Once active, it would allow Metro to hold people longer while waiting for federal pickup. This could reduce the number of people released before ICE can take custody.
The City of Las Vegas said it’s monitoring what Metro does and will adjust if needed. Other local jurisdictions will likely watch how the program works in practice.
For conservatives who support strong immigration enforcement, this represents local law enforcement choosing to cooperate with federal authorities. For those concerned about federal overreach, the voluntary nature of the program shows local control remains in place.
The partnership focuses specifically on people already arrested and in jail, rather than street-level immigration enforcement. This distinction matters for how the program affects both officer duties and community relations.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
