County Fight
Contested
Steuben County NY — Dual 287(g) + U.S. Marshals contract, community pushback
Steuben, NY
Current status: Sheriff Allard has both warrant service and task force 287(g) agreements plus new 3-year U.S. Marshals contract (Feb 2026). Claims jail won't house civil immigration detainees but ICE rider allows revenue from criminal immigration cases. Residents packed chambers demanding rescission.
Steuben County has one of the most layered ICE collaboration arrangements in New York: dual 287(g) agreements plus a new U.S. Marshals Service contract with an ICE rider.
Agreements in Place
- 287(g) Warrant Service Officer Model: Allows ICE operations inside county jail
- 287(g) Task Force Model: Allows local law enforcement to make immigration arrests during routine police activities
- U.S. Marshals Service contract: 3-year term beginning February 1, 2026 to house federal detainees
- ICE rider on Marshals contract allows county to earn revenue from criminally indicted immigration violators
Sheriff’s Position
Sheriff Jim Allard claims the jail “is not an ICE detention center and will not house any civil immigration case detainees.” However, the ICE rider creates a revenue pipeline from federal criminal immigration cases, and the task force 287(g) agreement gives deputies street-level immigration enforcement powers.
Community Opposition
Residents packed legislative chambers in early February 2026 demanding:
- Rescission of both 287(g) agreements
- End to all cooperation with ICE
- “We are all afraid” — residents describe chilling effect on immigrant community
Sources
This research is published at The RAMM — investigative reporting on the detention pipeline.