Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been in heavy effect since President Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20, 2025.

Recently, there have been some more changes for Arkansas.

Bill SB426, signed into law on April 18, 2025, requires sheriffs to go through a program with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

This program trains the sheriffs and certifies them to be able to serve immigration warrants on undocumented people who are already in county jails for other charges. 

According to the Arkansas Times, “Arkansas state troopers will double as ICE agents under Trump administration program.”

This was put into effect in early August and is different from bill SB426 and not required.

For a sheriff to be able to double as an ICE agent they have to go through training and be approved. 

The training can be done in person or online.

According to KARK, “According to the memo, once a trooper completes the training and is approved they will be able ‘to arrest without a warrant any alien entering or attempting to unlawfully enter the United States in the officer’s presence or view or any alien in the United States, if the officer has reason to believe the alien to be arrested is in the United States in violation of law and is likely to escape before a arrest warrant can be obtained.’”

Cindy Murphy, a spokeswoman for the Arkansas State Police, declined to participate in an interview with The Echo regarding ICE in Arkansas.

Governor Sanders was not available for an interview with The Echo at this time.

Day by day more information is coming out about ICE in Arkansas.

On Sept. 9 Governor Sanders announced that the Arkansas National Guard will be assisting ICE with immigration enforcement in Arkansas under the Title 32 program.

Governor Sanders made a statement in a press release that announced that the Arkansas National Guard would be assisting with ICE. 

“Violent, criminal illegal immigrants have no place in Arkansas,” said Governor Sanders.

According to the press release there will be 27 Air National Guard Airman and 13 Army National Guard soldiers provided by Arkansas. 

There will be 18 assigned in Little Rock, 10 in Fort Smith, 10 in Fayetteville and 2 at Camp Robinson. 

These operations will be funded by the federal government, according to the press release.

According to the press release, “Guardsmen will not be armed and will provide logistical support for detainee transport, operating or riding in a vehicle with an ICE agent who has custody of detained individuals. They will also help process detained individuals and perform clerical tasks to facilitate illegal immigrant detainment.”

According to the Arkansas Times, “‘This is an abuse of power that jeopardizes Arkansans’ rights and safety,” Arkansas ACLU executive director Holly Dickson said. “Governor Sanders is using our state’s servicemembers to advance a fear and race based political agenda at the expense of civil liberties, Arkansas families, and our most fundamental constitutional principles. The National Guard’s role at home is to protect Arkansans — not to target us in our communities.’”