ICE expands detention center rules and 287(g) police partnerships in the US

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency issued new regulations that give contractors operating immigration detention centers greater operational flexibility and permit the use of artificial‑intelligence tools—such as automated translation and generative‑AI systems—for non‑critical interactions with detainees. The rules also maintain a "voluntary work" program that pays detainees about one U.S. dollar per day. ICE says the changes aim “to reduce the burden on our detention operators,” but civil‑rights groups warn that the reliance on AI and reduced oversight could exacerbate existing concerns about medical care, nutrition and safety in detention facilities.

Separately, five small municipal police departments in North Carolina—Robbins, Brookford, Newland, Beulaville and Kenansville—have signed 287(g) “Task Force” agreements that allow locally trained officers to perform immigration‑enforcement functions during routine patrols and joint operations with ICE. This model expands cooperation beyond jails to everyday community policing and reflects a broader national increase in 287(g) partnerships that was revived under the Trump administration in 2025.