LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A memorandum of agreement signed by Arkansas State Police director Col. Tom Hagar and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Deputy Director Madison Shenhan will allow state troopers to perform some immigration officer functions.
The agreement requires troopers to be trained and approved prior to undertaking ICE actions under what is called a Task Force Model.
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The training may be done online or in person.
According to the memo, once a trooper completes the training and is approved they will be able “to arrest without a warrant any alien entering or attempting to unlawfully enter the United States in the officer’s presence or view or any alien in the United States, if the officer has reason to believe the alien to be arrested is in the United States in violation of law and is likely to escape before a arrest warrant can be obtained.”
Authorization of a trooper approved by ICE will be for a two-year term.
ICE records show other agencies in the state have joined the Task Force Model, including sheriff’s offices in Baxter, Lafayette, Miller counties, and police departments in Hampton and Texarkana.
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This comes as a new Arkansas law went into effect Tuesday that mandates the Division of Corrections and county jail staff to participate in ICE enforcement.
Act 654 of 2025 is titled the Defense Against Criminal Illegals Act. Among its terms, it requires the state Division of Corrections and county sheriffs who maintain a detention center to participate in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Warrant Service Officer program.
The Warrant Service Officer program allows trained and certified law enforcement to serve and execute administrative warrants for immigration violations against individuals held in custody. It also mandates training and approval of officers to participate in the program.
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Act 654 also mandates enhanced penalties for felonies by people in the country without paperwork of up to four years. It also forbids any Arkansas local government from having a sanctuary policy.
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