Local Control vs. Federal Power
A small Nevada county is caught in a mess of federal paperwork.
Douglas County Sheriff Dan Coverley recently signed an agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He thought he was only agreeing to help with immigration enforcement in the jail. Instead, he accidentally signed up for a much broader program. This mix-up shows how confusing government programs can be.
“It was never my intention to engage in the TFO model,” Sheriff Coverley explained. The TFO (Task Force Officer) model would have allowed deputies to stop people in the community just to check their immigration status. Deputies could have even arrested people without warrants.
This is exactly the kind of federal overreach that makes conservatives worry. When even a sheriff can’t understand what he’s signing, how can regular citizens keep up with government rules?
What Really Happened
Sheriff Coverley wanted to help enforce immigration laws in his jail. This is called the “warrant service model.” It lets local officers enforce ICE warrants when someone is already in custody.
But the paperwork he signed on February 19 was for something much bigger. This agreement would have let deputies stop people just to check their status. They could make arrests without warrants. They could even transport people to ICE detention centers.
When he realized his mistake, the sheriff quickly backed out of this broader agreement.
Why This Matters to Conservatives
This story shows several problems conservatives have been talking about for years:
Federal programs are too complicated. If a sheriff can’t understand what he’s signing, the system is broken—local control matters.
Communities should decide how to use their resources, not Washington bureaucrats. Transparency is missing. Only through public records requests did the public learn what really happened.
Conservative lawyer Mark Krikorian from the Center for Immigration Studies pointed out in a recent interview that “effective enforcement needs to be clear, fair, and understood by everyone involved.”
What Critics Are Saying
Democrat lawmakers are worried about local tax dollars being spent on federal duties. During a hearing, Senator Edgar Flores asked if Douglas County would use local money for federal immigration enforcement.
The ACLU’s Athar Haseebullah criticized the confusion, saying:
“If the sheriff’s office themselves are struggling to understand the distinction between the two [agreements], just imagine what that looks like for the rest of the state.”
The Future of Local Immigration Enforcement
President Trump has been expanding these local-federal partnerships since returning to office. Dozens of new agreements have been signed across the country. This makes sense to many conservatives who believe immigration laws should be enforced.
But the confusion in Douglas County raises important questions: Should federal programs be simplified? How much control should local communities have? Is there enough transparency?
Sheriff Coverley stands by his decision to help with immigration enforcement in the jail:
“If you’re breaking the law and committing crimes, then we’re going to do everything we can to hold you accountable, if that includes getting you deported,”
History of 287(g) Program
The 287(g) program was created back in 1996 under President Bill Clinton. It’s named after the section of immigration law that allows the federal government to work with local law enforcement. For many years, few agencies joined.
Under President George W. Bush, the program grew. By 2008, ICE had agreements with 67 law enforcement agencies. President Obama scaled back the program. He ended the task force model in 2012 after the Department of Justice found problems in Arizona. Officers there were stopping Latino drivers much more often than others.
During President Trump’s first term, the program expanded again. Then under President Biden, many agencies dropped out. Now with Trump back in office, the program is growing once more.
Nevada has the highest percentage of undocumented immigrants in the country per person. This makes the state a likely target for increased enforcement. Douglas County sits near Lake Tahoe and includes the towns of Minden and Gardnerville. It’s mostly rural with about 50,000 residents.
Sheriff Coverley believes the jail-based program will cost very little. He said ICE pays for equipment and covers overtime for deputies assigned to immigration duties. Five Douglas County officers will participate in the jail program after completing online training.
The Douglas County story reminds us that government works best when it’s simple, transparent, and accountable to the people it serves.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
