Experts say financial incentives are driving some local law enforcement to increase arrests. Local law enforcement agencies have entered into contracts with the Department of Homeland Security, known as 287-G agreements.
Ashley Spalding, research director of the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, said in some cases agencies are working to meet quotas.
"The efforts to arrest people are becoming more aggressive," she claimed. "So we're going to see more Kentuckians be arrested for immigration reasons."
Earlier this year the Department of Homeland Security rescinded rules that prevented ICE from arresting non-citizens in places like churches, schools and hospitals. Experts say that move increased arrests of people who have no criminal history. According to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, more than 70% of detained immigrants nationwide had no criminal conviction.
Spalding said in Kentucky, 14 local law enforcement groups have already signed 287-G agreements and nine county jails are contracting with ICE to hold detainees, and she expects those numbers to increase statewide.
"There's a new local agency that just entered into an agreement this week, and there's another one pending in Kentucky," she continued.
According to a new analysis from the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, local jails are the most common location for ICE arrests in the state, especially those occurring outside of Louisville, and most people being arrested in the Commonwealth are from Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras.
