Implementing a 287(g) agreement between the Pinal County Sheriff’s and Attorney’s Offices is a dangerous move that will fundamentally undermine public trust and jeopardize community safety. While the program’s stated goal is to enhance security by removing serious criminals, the reality of delegating federal immigration authority to local law enforcement comes with severe, counterproductive consequences.

First, the program compromises the essential principle of community policing. When every routine traffic stop or interaction carries the risk of initiating a federal deportation process, immigrant residents—and by extension, the entire community—become less willing to cooperate with the PCSO. As critics, including the ACLU, have warned, this chilling effect leads to underreporting of crimes, allowing violent and non-violent offenders to operate with impunity in marginalized areas. For a county focused on maintaining rural safety, isolating any segment of the population is a step backward.

Second, the 287(g) program diverts local resources and attention. Local officers should be focused on crimes relevant to Pinal County—such as property crime, drug enforcement, and domestic violence. By transforming deputies into de facto ICE agents, the agreement shifts focus and resources to federal immigration matters, distracting them from their core duties of serving all Pinal County residents.

The program effectively forces Pinal County to bear the social and administrative cost of enforcing a complex, national policy. True security is built on trust, transparency, and local accountability. Adopting 287(g) is an unnecessary and harmful shortcut that will ultimately make Pinal County less safe.

Yours in Democracy,
Jennifer Hilsbos
Chair, Pinal County Democratic Party