“We have a seat at the table. We’re able to have these discussions and make sure that things are being done the way we want it done in Utah County,” Smith told the commission. “If you want the chaos that you saw in other cities, then you cancel the contract and posture against it. 

“The reality is, there are people committing serious crimes in our community that need to be addressed, and they should not be allowed to stay in our country when they are not citizens of this country.” 

The 287(g) service agreement allows trained sheriff’s officers to work with immigration enforcement to execute administrative warrants on undocumented immigrants in their custody and allows them to enforce limited immigration authority while conducting police duties, according to ICE. In turn, ICE agrees to reimburse costs incurred by the sheriff’s office. 

An agenda item in Wednesday’s meeting was to approve some of those reimbursements for services. Approximately a dozen people spoke in the public comment period in opposition of the partnership as a whole.  

Several people expressed concern for the lack of public data available showing how the agreement is playing out. Springville resident Karolyn Collette questioned how many intentional immigration enforcement operations have been undertaken by the sheriff’s department. 

Jay Allen, of Mapleton, said he thought the agreement was unsafe and unnecessary. 

“Utah County deputies are paid to enforce criminal law, not executive civil immigration policies,” he said. 

Michelle, of Orem, said there are families who fear ICE and called on the county to dissolve the agreement. 

“You should care about the fourth graders that are terrified and their families that are terrified,” she told the commission. 

After the public comment period, Smith took questions from the commission. He said nothing has changed since the item was discussed last year and said he is not pulling anyone off of assigned duties to assist ICE. 

“We’re not doing ICE’s job,” Smith said. “These are select deputies that go after the big crimes in our community. … When it intersects with immigration issues they address those, which they should.”

Commission Chair Skyler Beltran voiced his support for the agreement.

“I feel even more comfortable with this contract now, having done it for months, than I did even originally,” he said. “I think it’s been a well-documented success. We have not had issues seen elsewhere. Our community is getting safer.”