City leaders vote against 287(g)

WHITEHOUSE — The City of Whitehouse has decided not to enter into ICE’s 287(g) program following Tuesday’s city council meeting.

Tuesday night, community members held signs protesting outside the Whitehouse city council chambers. As the meeting got underway, many passionately shared their opinions with the city council members, urging them to oppose the 2-87-g agreement with ICE that would allow trained police officers to help enforce immigration law.

“I strongly oppose 287(g), I don’t believe that it’s the job of local law enforcement officials to do the job of the federal government,” Whitehouse resident Dylan Sigler said. “Whenever I saw that white house was considering this agreement, I felt like it was my responsibility to come out here and voice that dissent.”

The vote on adopting the 287(g) proposal ended in a tie, with the mayor casting the deciding vote and declining to enter into the agreement with ICE. Walking out with cheers and tears in their eyes, community members celebrated in the parking lot. explaining that they were shocked by the outcome of the vote but elated, the city of Whitehouse will not enter into the 287(g) agreement.

“That is just an incredible feeling, it’s hard not to get emotional because, you know, we’ve been living it, fighting it since November of last year,” Tyler Resident Ines Espiricueta said.

According to DHS, at least two dozen East Texas law enforcement agencies have already signed 2-87-g agreements, including the Hughes Springs and Troup police departments, which signed just last week.