The Fight

Flathead County has held a 287(g) Warrant Service Officer agreement since 2020, allowing ICE to deputize local officers to serve administrative warrants on detainees in the county jail. In January 2026, community members called on the county commission to pull out of the agreement during public comment sessions.

Sheriff Brian Heino defended the agreement, emphasizing it is “strictly tied to the detention center” and does not allow deputies to act as ICE agents in the field. The commission has not acted on the community’s request.

Key Context

• Bigfork worksite raid (Mar 2025): ICE HSI and Border Patrol detained 17 undocumented immigrants at a Bigfork construction site. Sheriff Heino said his agency was not involved and was not notified. This suggests ICE operates independently in the county even with the 287(g) in place.
• NW Montana detentions (2025): Border Patrol detained 135+ people in Northwest Montana during 2025, with 11 having non-immigration criminal charges.
• The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office participates under the WSO model – the least aggressive form of 287(g), limited to serving warrants inside the jail.

Sources

• Citizens call on county commission to pull out of agreement — Flathead Beacon (Jan 2026)
• Sheriff addresses Flathead County’s federal ICE agreement amid concerns — KPAX
• ICE detains 17 in Bigfork construction site raid — KPAX (Mar 2025)
• Immigration detentions up in NW Montana — Daily Inter Lake (Feb 2026)