The Post Falls Police Department made history in Idaho on Friday, formally entering into a 287(g) agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, making the Kootenai County city the first in the state to establish such a partnership.

Under the program, select Post Falls officers will receive training in ICE protocols and, once authorized by the Department of Homeland Security, will be able to carry out federal immigration enforcement duties. That includes accessing federal databases, enforcing immigration holds, and serving ICE administrative warrants.

The arrangement operates under remote ICE supervision, meaning federal agents do not need to be physically present when participating officers act on immigration matters. Post Falls Mayor has publicly backed the initiative.

There are notable limits to the program. Officers who complete the training do not become full ICE agents, and their immigration enforcement authority is confined strictly to Post Falls city limits. They cannot exercise those powers beyond the city’s municipal boundaries.

The announcement drew both support and criticism from residents. Tim and Dawn F., supporters of the agreement, said they believe the coordination between city, state, and federal law enforcement will accomplish what it was built to do. “If it is enacted the way it is intended,” they said, “I believe that the joint cooperation between state, federal, and city law enforcement will do what it was designed to do and that’s to take care of the citizens.”

Not everyone shares that view. Resident Matt Tavares argued the agreement could infringe on civil liberties. “In a sense it breaks a lot of people freedoms and I feel like in a sense it’ll be very disruptive and destructive over a period of time,” he said.

The 287(g) program has been a key tool in the Trump administration’s broader push to extend immigration enforcement capacity through local and state law enforcement agencies. Supporters argue it helps remove individuals who are in the country illegally and who may pose public safety risks. Critics contend it creates confusion about the role of local police and may discourage immigrant residents from cooperating with law enforcement on other matters.

Post Falls joins a growing number of jurisdictions nationwide choosing to align with federal immigration priorities under the current administration. The Trump Justice Department has made clear that cooperation with federal immigration enforcement is expected, and has warned election officials in Idaho and elsewhere about legal liability connected to noncitizen participation in elections.

Whether the Post Falls model spreads to other Idaho cities remains to be seen, but its implementation here marks a significant step in how North Idaho law enforcement agencies engage with federal immigration authority.