Centerville Police First Municipal Agency to Join ICE's 287(g) Program

Centerville is the only city in South Dakota participating in the federal immigration enforcement initiative.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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The Centerville Police Department has become the first municipal law enforcement agency in South Dakota to join the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 287(g) program, which trains local officers to act as immigration agents. While other state and county agencies have enrolled in the program, Centerville is the sole city organization to take part.

Why it matters

The 287(g) program has been controversial, with critics arguing it erodes trust between immigrant communities and local police. Centerville's decision to participate could have significant implications for how immigration enforcement is carried out in the city.

The details

Under the 287(g) program, Centerville police officers will receive training from ICE on immigration law and be authorized to perform certain immigration enforcement functions, such as identifying and processing undocumented immigrants. Centerville Police Chief Lon Hatcher says the program will provide officers with expertise the city cannot offer on its own.

  • The Centerville Police Department joined the 287(g) program on February 12, 2026.

The players

Centerville Police Department

The municipal law enforcement agency for the city of Centerville, South Dakota, and the first city police force in the state to participate in the ICE 287(g) program.

Lon Hatcher

The police chief of the Centerville Police Department, who says the 287(g) program will provide officers with training in immigration law that the city cannot offer on its own.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal agency that oversees the 287(g) program, which trains state and local law enforcement to perform certain immigration enforcement functions.

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What they’re saying

“It's an opportunity for officers to get training in immigration law, which the city can't provide.”

— Lon Hatcher, Police Chief, Centerville Police Department (dakotanewsnetwork.com)

What’s next

The Centerville Police Department will begin training its officers under the 287(g) program in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

Centerville's decision to participate in the controversial 287(g) program makes it the only municipal law enforcement agency in South Dakota to do so, raising concerns about the potential impact on immigrant communities and the erosion of trust in local police.