- Riverton police have entered into a cooperative agreement with federal immigration officials.
- As more agencies enter into such accords, the ACLU of Utah worries they could make some fearful of seeking help from police.
- Many Utah sheriff’s offices have also entered into cooperative accords while the civil rights organization has launched a petition drive in opposition to them.
SALT LAKE CITY — As another Utah law enforcement agency teams up with federal immigration officials to fight illegal immigration, the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah is raising its voice against such cooperation.
Riverton leaders announced Friday that the Riverton Police Department had entered into a formal accord with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to jointly pursue immigrants in the country illegally. The department joins several other sheriff’s offices across Utah and the Utah Department of Corrections in entering into what federal authorities refer to as 287(g) agreements.
Like representatives from other agencies entering into 287(g) accords, Riverton authorities touted the agreement as a way to assure public safety and better fight crime…