Code Switch How local police extend ICE's reach, even in sanctuary cities
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Jan 21, 2026 Join cultural anthropologist Peter Mancina, a visiting scholar at Rutgers and author of On the Side of ICE, as he dives into the complexities of policing in sanctuary cities. He reveals how local police often aid ICE despite the intention of sanctuary policies. Mancina discusses the impact of administrative warrants, the history of local-federal cooperation, and the role of body cameras in immigration enforcement. He advocates for a reevaluation of policing practices to genuinely protect immigrant communities.
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Car Standoff That Revealed Local Aid
- ICE boxed a man in his car in New Jersey while his teen son sat inside and local cops parked to further fence him in.
- Police claimed they were "just keeping people safe" while effectively aiding ICE's arrest, Peter Mancina recounts from bodycam footage.
Sanctuary Laws Reduce But Also Enable Transfers
- Sanctuary policies reduce voluntary transfers to ICE but include big carve-outs that let local cops still help federal agents.
- Mancina found a 30% drop in voluntary transfers, but exceptions institutionalize cooperation and deportation procedures.
Exceptions Become Playbooks For Cooperation
- Sanctuary policy exceptions create formal procedures for when local police should help ICE, normalizing limited cooperation.
- Those exceptions train cops on "how you're going to do it," turning sanctuary rules into deportation playbooks, Mancina argues.
