Editorial of February 5, 2026
Was Sheriff Devlin Simply Ahead of the Curve?
Otsego County Sheriff Richard J. Devlin Jr. has been at the center of controversy since AllOtsego first reported that Devlin’s office had entered into a 287(g) Warrant Service Officer agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in an article published November 27. From that moment on, we have worked hard to unpack the specifics of the agreement, to represent the sheriff’s and the county’s positions, and to give voice to those both opposed to or in favor of the agreement.
The letters and opinion pieces we have received in the ensuing weeks and months have been almost universally against the 287(g) agreement in particular and the actions of ICE in general, culminating this past Saturday with a peaceful protest in Oneonta where the sheriff was booed by participants.
According to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement website, “the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 added Section 287(g) to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), authorizing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to delegate state and local law enforcement officers the authority to perform specified immigration officer functions under ICE’s direction and oversight. Likewise, Title 25 USC 2804(e) also allows federal agencies to enter into agreements with Indian tribes to carry out laws of the United States, such as immigration laws.”
“Through the delegation of specified immigration officer duties, the program allows ICE to enhance collaboration with state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of aliens who undermine the safety of our nation’s communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws,” the website reads.
Since President Donald Trump took office in January 2025, ICE has been a polarizing subject among U.S. citizens. When ICE agents raided locations in Los Angeles in June to arrest individuals allegedly involved in illegal immigration to the United States, the result was anti-ICE rioting in parts of the city, resulting in the deployment of the National Guard by President Trump. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the epicenter of recent protests, and in addition to Los Angeles, there are large-scale, ongoing protests in cities across the country, including New York and Portland.
The recent shooting deaths in Minneapolis of Renee Good by an ICE officer and of Alex Pretti by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents have sparked further outrage and are currently under investigation. At the same time, violent protests and the “doxing” of ICE agents are putting law enforcement officials and their families at risk. According to the Department of Homeland Security, “doxing refers to gathering an individual’s personally identifiable information (PII) and releasing it publicly for malicious purposes, such as public humiliation, stalking, identity theft, or targeting for harassment.”
No one can dispute that the current situation is untenable.
But consider this. By signing that 287(g) agreement, perhaps Sheriff Devlin is simply getting ahead of the curve. Letter writers have pointed out that Otsego County depends on tourist income and are fearful of what impact ICE operations could have on our livelihood and reputation. Others object to immigrants who are here illegally but are not a danger to society being swept up in ICE raids along with the “worst of the worst.”
In some parts of the country, primarily in the South and Midwest, partnerships with ICE appear to be working well and often include 287(g) agreements, and high rates of jail-based arrests. Florida, Texas, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Arkansas, and West Virginia are considered “high cooperation” states.
The Warrant Service Officer program allows ICE to train, certify, and authorize state and local law enforcement officers to serve and execute administrative warrants on undocumented aliens in their agency’s jail who have committed a crime. In the jail, not on the ground. This is an important distinction.
Therefore, could it not be posited that Sheriff Devlin was simply getting out ahead of the curve? That he considered the 287(g) agreement to be the best path forward to protect Otsego County from an insurgence of ICE agents and to prevent the arrest of illegal immigrants who are not the worst of the worst but simply collateral damage?
The fact is, whether we like it or not—whether we agree or not—the United States has immigration laws and ICE is charged with enforcing those laws. There are clearly bad actors on both sides of this issue. We don’t think Sheriff Devlin is one of them.
Editor’s Note: A reminder that editorials are separate from news reporting and, unless otherwise signed, represent the perspective of the Editorial Board of AllOtsego.com, The Freeman’s Journal, and Hometown Oneonta.
