ICE latest: What immigration agreements are in place in Philadelphia, its suburbs, New Jersey and Delaware?

Of the 54 local law enforcement agencies participating in the 287(g) program in Pennsylvania, only two are in the Greater Philadelphia region.

Currently, the Lansdowne Borough Constable’s Office in Lansdowne, Delaware County, has a 287(g) agreement with ICE under its task force model, as does the Pennsylvania State Constable Office Honey Brook Precinct 1, in Chester County, according to ICE’s online database, last updated Jan. 27).

In 2025, the Bucks County Sheriff’s Office was the most high-profile local agency in Philadelphia and its suburbs that signed a collaboration agreement with ICE through the 287(g) program. The move was met with a lawsuit and widespread pushback from community members and elected officials.

Earlier this month, newly elected Democratic Sheriff Danny Ceisler officially ended that agreement. Under the previous Sheriff Fred Harran, sheriff’s deputies received training from ICE, but Ceisler said the office never fully implemented the program.

There are no local law enforcement agencies participating in 287(g) collaboration agreements with ICE. Last spring, Camden Police Department in Central Delaware entered into a 287(g) agreement with ICE. The agency quickly reversed course and backed out following community pushback.

There are no local law enforcement agencies participating in 287(g) collaboration agreements with ICE.

On Monday, the Pennsylvania Legislative Latino Caucus called for a state House vote on several measures designed to protect immigrant rights and hold federal immigration agents accountable.

Pennsylvania State Police operate under an internal policy that limits cooperation with ICE and instructs state police to not comply with ICE administrative detainers. However, state police are allowed to “provide pertinent information” to ICE at its discretion. Advocates are pushing Gov. Josh Shapiro to strengthen the state trooper policy and end ICE access to state databases without a judicial warrant, among other measures.

Philadelphia

On Tuesday, Philadelphia City Council members announced legislative measures codifying the city’s “sanctuary status” and ensuring local police do not enter into 287(g) agreements with ICE. Another proposed bill bans ICE agents from wearing masks and using unmarked vehicles.

Limits on cooperation with ICE by local law enforcement have been in place since January 2016, when then-Mayor Jim Kenney signed an executive order specifying that local officials would not honor ICE administrative detainers.

Bucks County

While announcing his office’s withdrawal from the 287(g) agreement last week, Bucks County Sheriff Danny Ceisler said he has also instituted a policy prohibiting sheriff’s deputies from asking victims of and witnesses to crimes, as well as court observers, about their immigration status.

Ceisler also stated the county is “not a sanctuary county,” and its Department of Corrections continues to share data with ICE.

Chester County

Chester County has not made any recent changes to its policies regarding ICE. The county told WHYY News in January 2025 that Chester County Prison cooperates with ICE to the extent required by law. It also does not detain people based solely on ICE administrative detainers, per the 2014 Galarza v. Szalcyzk ruling.

Delaware County

The county has not made any recent changes to its policies regarding ICE. It does not detain people based solely on ICE administrative detainers, and abides by law and the 2014 Galarza v. Szalcyzk ruling. and

Haverford Township has passed legislation limiting its police department’s cooperation with ICE, and Upper Darby Township is considering similar measures.

Montgomery County

Democratic County Commissioners Neil Makhija and Jamila Winder stated in an op-ed last year that they would not enter into a 287(g) agreement with ICE.

An internal policy passed by the board of commissioners in June 2025 prohibits county employees from cooperating with federal immigration officials unless legally required to do so.

Also in June 2025, the Montgomery County Correctional Facility said it will no longer honor ICE detainer requests without a judicial warrant.

To date, at least six municipalities, including Cheltenham Township, Ambler Borough, West Norriton Township and Norristown Municipality, have either released statements or passed legislation expressing their support for immigrant residents and/or limiting local law enforcement’s cooperation with ICE. Advocates are calling on all 62 of the county’s municipalities to limit cooperation with ICE and have pushed back on some policies they say are not strong enough.

In July 2025, Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer signed into law legislation prohibiting local law enforcement from entering into 287(g) agreements, along with several other measures limiting federal immigration enforcement actions within the state.

Earlier this month, the General Assembly and state Senate passed three bills to enhance public safety and trust for immigrant residents, only one of which was signed into law by outgoing Gov. Phil Murphy before leaving office:

• The Safe Communities Act directs the New Jersey attorney general to develop a plan for how sensitive places — including schools, houses of worship and health care facilities — handle interactions with federal immigration agents. Officials are mandated to adopt those policies and display them in public-facing places to ensure immigrant residents are aware and encouraged to continue to frequent those places.

Murphy declined to sign the following legislation that made it to his desk, citing a “drafting oversight” in the first and fears of legal challenges to the latter:

• The Privacy Protection Act would limit data collection and sharing by the federal government and health care entities.
• The third law would codify the attorney general’s Immigrant Trust Directive, first issued in 2018, which limits state law enforcement officers from providing voluntary assistance to federal immigration authorities. That directive is still in effect, just not codified by legislation.