Col. Allen West, executive director of the American Constitutional Rights Union and former U.S. Congressman, said the 287G program is a critical tool for closing the enforcement gaps that allow criminal illegal immigrants to evade deportation, and that sanctuary cities shielding them from federal authorities are operating in open violation of the Constitution.
“The most important thing that we have to do is reduce the amount of gaps and seams by which we can be exploited,” West said on the Restoration Spotlight Podcast by Restoration News. “And that’s what the 287G program does. And it just facilitates a smoother transition of a local law enforcement agency being able to go out and detain criminal illegal immigrants or illegal immigrants and then turn those folks over to ICE and get the deportation process going.”
According to NPR, as of February 2026, ICE reported 1,412 active 287G agreements across 40 states and territories, with more than 1,130 of them signed in 2025 alone, representing a dramatic expansion from just 45 agreements signed during Trump’s entire first term in 2019.
West said sanctuary jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities are not just breaking the law but are, in effect, making themselves accessories to the crimes committed by those they are harboring.
“Sanctuary cities and sanctuary counties are there. It’s unconstitutional,” West said. “And think about it, Hayden. If you and I were to have someone who had committed a crime, assault and battery, bank robbery, whatever, and we had them in our house, guess what we would be charged with? We would be charged as accessories. You know, we’re charged with aiding and abetting.”
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Attorney General Pamela Bondi published a formal list of sanctuary jurisdictions in August 2025 that have policies, laws, or regulations impeding federal immigration enforcement, including 13 states, 18 cities, and four counties, with the DOJ vowing to continue litigation against all of them.Â
West is a 22-year Army combat veteran, Bronze Star recipient, and former U.S. Congressman who represented Florida’s 22nd District in the 112th Congress. He currently serves as Executive Director of the American Constitutional Rights Union, a constitutional conservative organization founded to counter the ACLU.
Restoration Spotlight is a podcast hosted by Hayden Ludwig that features interviews with advocates, experts and political commentators on topics including drug policy, economic issues, gender policy and national security. The show describes itself as an alternative to mainstream media coverage and is produced by Restoration News.
