Walton County sheriff’s office expands ICE partnership under 287(g) amid immigrant fears

Sergeant Oscar D'Lassalas of the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, who also leads the local SWAT team, earned his 287(g) certification after completing an online 40-hour course accelerated under the Trump administration. He says his daily duties involve running names through databases during traffic stops and only detaining individuals who have active warrants, without probing their immigration status otherwise. The sheriff’s office has also contracted with ICE to use 48 jail beds as a 72-hour holding area for detainees, earning $72 per inmate per day plus state grant money.

Critics, including ACLU attorney Sam Lester, contend that the program encourages profiling of Latino residents and undermines community trust. Immigrant workers like Alfonso and his cousin Ronaldo report altering their routines out of fear of being stopped, which threatens the local construction workforce. Sheriff Michael Adkinson maintains that the department’s participation is a legal obligation and not a raid operation, while county commissioner Danny Glidewell says many residents support stricter immigration enforcement. The arrangement reflects Florida’s status as the nation’s leader in local 287(g) agreements, with all counties now partnered with ICE.