Andrew Thrasher

@tituslegaldesign.com

671 Followers 339 Following

Somewhere in Chicago, working near the intersection of immigration law, data, and technology. Not an attorney! 287(g) Program Tracker: tituslegaldesign.com/immigration-101/287g-program Newsletter: https://maxwellcommons.substack.com/

A Per-Child Bounty System: the layered contract system hiding ICE's Task Force 287(g) incentive structure. Graphic shows 3 contract layers stacked vertically. Layer 1 — Memorandum of Agreement. Public; posted on ice.gov. Format: a "boilerplate" 14-page template PDF. Execution: downloaded at ICE.gov, with the agency name and contact info entered, then a signed copy emailed to ICE ERO. Financial incentives mentioned? Briefly. UAC Safety Verification Initiative mentioned? No. Layer 2 — Service Agreement. Not published; obtained through public records battles. Format: an intergovernmental service contract naming the participating agency as a "service provider" for DHS/ICE. Execution: signed by an agency official, apparently sent via e-signature by ICE. Financial incentives mentioned? Yes — salary and overtime rates, the invoice process, and payment schedule are outlined. UAC Safety Verification Initiative mentioned? Yes — UAC is a defined contract term and the scope of work is outlined. Note: the first service agreement was published by Rachel Spacek at InvestigateWest (for the Owyhee County Sheriff's Office in Idaho) in April 2026. Layer 3 — UAC Safety Verification Incentives. Marked "Law Enforcement Sensitive"; obtained through public records battles. Format: a contract rider containing specific UAC work expectations, including a detailed breakdown of a bounty-style rewards package. Execution: no action specified — per the Layer 2 Service Agreement, this document plus a separate UAC Statement of Objectives are incorporated "once participation is verified." Quoted text: "'Safety Verification' Incentives — Up to $20,000 per case. Safety verification incentives reward the 287(g) partner for more comprehensive safety and welfare verification activities which protect children and communities as described in the table below." Note: this UAC Incentives attachment was first published by Jules Feeney at Chattanooga Times Free Press in July 2026."
Titus, a large brindle dog, is laying in the grass in a patch of sun, with his tongue out because it's hot.
Screenshot of 2nd page from ICE document titled "ICE/ERO 287(g) UAC SAFETY VERIFICATION INITIATIVE INCENTIVES PROGRAM FOR 287(g) PARTNERS". Screen readable text version of PDF available here: https://wehco.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/news/document/2026/07/10/CTFP-UAC_Safety_Verification_Initiative_Incentives_Program_for_287g_Partners.pdf
Filled area map of county-level participation in ICE's 287(g) program, zoomed in on the Atlanta metro area. None of the five core counties in metro Atlanta participate (i.e. are not filled in) but a number of collar counties are filled, including Forsyth, Hall, Cherokee, Cowetta, Fayette, and Polk.
Filled area map of county-level participation in ICE's 287(g) program, zoomed in on Cincinnati, OH. While Cincinnati's primarily located in Hamilton county, which is not filled in (indicating it doesn't participate), several surrounding counties are filled (Kenton, Peddleton, Clermont, Warren, Butler, Dearborn, and Gallatin).
Filled area map of county-level participation in ICE's 287(g) program, zoomed in on western PA. While Pittsburgh is not filled in (indicating it doesn't participate), several surrounding counties are filled, including Washington, Beaver, and Butler counties to its west.
Filled area map of county-level participation in ICE's 287(g) program, zoomed in on Tennessee. While Nashville's county (Davidson) is not filled in (indicating it doesn't participate), all of its surrounding counties are filled (Cheatham, Robertson, Sumner, Wilson, Rutherford, and Williamson).
Filled area map of county-level participation in ICE's 287(g) program, zoomed in on central Wisconsin. While Milwaukee and Madison are not filled in (indicating their county governments don't participate), Milwaukee is effectively boxed in by participating counties (including Sheboygan, Washington, Waukesha, Walworth, and Kenosha).
Filled area map of county-level participation in ICE's 287(g) program, zoomed in on New Orleans, LA. While New Orleans is not filled in (indicating it doesn't participate), several surround parishes are filled (including St. Bernard, Plaquemines, St Charles, and Lafourche).
Filled area map of southern NC and northern SC, focused on the Charlotte metro area. Surrounding counties (Lincoln, Gaston, Cabarrus, and Union in NC; York and Lancaster in SC) are filled, indicating their participation in the ICE 287(g) program. Charlotte's county (Mecklenburg) does not.
Filled area map of eastern Texas counties participating in ICE's 287(g) program. Austin and Houston are both shown, located in two of the 4 counties visible on the map (Harris, Travis) that aren't filled (i.e., counties that aren't participating in the program). The rest of the map is filled, demonstrating the high participation rate in Texas.
Filled area map showing three of the counties surrounding the west/north/east sides of Indianapolis — Hendricks, Hamilton, and Shirley Counties, respectively — with active 287(g) agreements. Indianapolis' county (Marion) is not filled.
Screenshot from Portland Press Herald live updates stream of ICE murder of man in Biddeford Maine. "Updated 3:11 pm · July 13, 2026 Morgan Womack Staff Writer Border Patrol says it wasn't involved in operation Ryan Brissette, a public affairs officer for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said Monday afternoon that the agency was not involved in the event but "did offer medical support" on scene in Biddeford. He said the medical support was ultimately not needed, and referred a reporter to ICE for further information about the shooting."
Search results for 'yglesias' in the Popular By Design substack newsletter from Alexander Kustov showing 11 results.
Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia Awards Nearly $1.4 Million for Immigration Enforcement Support for Florida Law Enforcement Agencies 3/12/2026 CFO with sheriffs SHALIMAR, Fla.- Today, Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia awarded nearly $1.4 million to assist with immigration enforcement for Florida law enforcement agencies. The agencies awarded today are the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office. Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia said, “Florida has led the nation in anti-illegal immigration efforts, and we are second to none when it comes to supporting our law enforcement officers. They are out in our communities every day working with our federal law enforcement partners. My office will continue to stand alongside President Trump and Governor DeSantis in their mission to deport criminal illegal aliens out of our country and state, and keep our communities safe.” Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden said, “This funding strengthens our ability to arrest and detain criminal illegal aliens. These individuals who seek to cause harm to our citizens do not belong in our state. I am grateful for CFO Ingoglia’s continued dedication to protect our citizens and our deputies from the negative impacts of illegal immigration.” Franklin County Sheriff AJ Tony Smith said, “Getting to partner with ICE under the 287 (g) agreement means we can continue to protect the citizens in Franklin County from criminal illegal aliens. Thank you, CFO Ingoglia, for reimbursing us with the funding to support our officers and ensure they have the resources they need.” Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson said, “I want to thank CFO Ingoglia for the funding awarded today. My deputies can continue to do their job safely when arresting and deporting criminal illegal aliens because they have the equipment and resources they need to do so.” Escambia County Sheriff Chip W…
Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia Awards Over $166,000 for Immigration Enforcement to Local Law Enforcement Agencies 6/4/2026 CFO Ingoglia standing with group and big check OCALA, Fla.- Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Blaise Ingoglia awarded over $166,000 for immigration enforcement to local law enforcement agencies. The agencies that were awarded today are the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Bradford County Sheriff’s Office, and the Town of Cross City. Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia said, “The Biden administration not only allowed reckless illegal immigration across our borders, they intensified it. However, under President Trump and Governor DeSantis, we have cracked down on removing criminal illegal aliens off our streets. I am thankful for the dedication and tireless efforts of our law enforcement partners who have worked tirelessly to keep Floridians safe.” Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said, “Illegal immigration has impacted every community across the nation. The money awarded to my office by the State Board of Immigration Enforcement helps ensure the safety of our deputies by giving them the tools to do their jobs safely and efficiently.” Cross City Police Chief Jamey King said, “The funding awarded by CFO Ingoglia strengthens our police department’s capabilities to protect citizens from the negative impacts of illegal immigration. Thank you for having our back while we arrest and deport criminal illegal aliens.” Local law enforcement agencies receive funding through the State Board of Immigration Enforcement for reimbursement of immigration enforcement activities. The Immigration and Nationality Act, under the 287 (g) agreement, allows state and local law enforcement to partner with ICE and provide bonuses to law enforcement officers who are trained under the agreement. As part of the Florida Cabinet, CFO Ingoglia is a member of the State Board of Immigration Enforcement. Other members include Governor Ron DeSantis, Attorney Ge…
Screenshot from ICEout.org showing a map of the Chicagoland area + 71 alerts for Illinois from July 1st to July 9th, 2026. Most of the alerts are distributed across Chicago's NW, West, and Southwest sides and collar suburbs. https://iceout.org/en/search/report
Photo of an "On-body injector" for Skyrizi, a small device that you stick to your thigh.
Community alert from Chicago Northwest Side Rapid Response: Location: West Humboldt Park Date: July 7, 2026 Time: 9:20AM There was a confirmed detention in West Humboldt Park this morning at Thomas and Long and possibly Augusta and Lamont and Chicago and Laramie. The vehicles involved include a gray SUV, possibly a Jeep Cherokee, and a blue SUV, possibly a Subaru. ICE may still be in the area! Stay home!
Image posted to Instagram by @SouthwestRapidResponse: COMMUNITY ALERT 7/6 - 4:30pm The Southwest Rapid Response Team confirmed that two people were detained by 47th St and Damen Ave. and another two people by 47th St and Fairfield Ave. Agents in the area were seen wearing black "POLICE" vests and driving at least four unmarked vehicles, including a white SUV, a black SUV, and a dark grey pick up truck.
Screenshot from Tribune article: "According to a federal civil rights lawsuit filed June 1 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois by Williams’ mother Jacqueline Hoffman, Williams’ family alleges Evanston police used “excessive force” while attempting to restrain her and failed to intervene when Williams demonstrated signs of trouble breathing. Williams was later taken to Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston by first responders after suffering from cardiac arrest during the encounter, the suit alleges. She remained in a coma until the time of her death, her family said."
Screenshot from John Kass article, with a one word line "What" next to Tocquevilles portrait due to errant formatting. "The problem is that a plain fence can be so boring. So, let’s dress it up, say with a little placard over the gate. Perhaps we should inscribe fancy words on it, too. What comes to mind is an expression often attributed to a wise Frenchman named Alexis de Tocqueville, who wrote about the American experiment with freedom and liberty after it began more than 250 years ago."
By John Kass. Sunday July 6, 2026 "Some 250 years ago, long before the communists took over the modern Democrat Party-by overpromising so much to the unqualified, undereducated mob of ravenous and self-styled elitists who make up their base vote–there was a common understanding among us in America: that we should avoid those who would try to bribe us with our own money. Or hold them in thorough contempt before having them tarred and feathered and whipped into the wilderness."
Screenshot from AlertDC page on DC.gov. "Visiting the District for summer special events? Get free event alerts from District Government by texting "DC250" to 888-777
White supremacist pooped/peed his pants while waiting for the metro
Hybrid line and bar charts showing cumulative active 287(g) Task Force agreements + cumulative population covered by those agreements for both county-level and municipal-level agencies. https://datastudio.google.com/s/qW6wTLAwhRQ
Screenshot from 287(g) program tracker showing filled area map of the 509 U.S. counties with active Task Force model agreements https://datastudio.google.com/s/kZzqT7O9X3A
Screenshot from 287(g) program tracker showing filled area map of the 847 U.S. counties with active agreements https://datastudio.google.com/s/kZzqT7O9X3A
From Brainyacts newsletter by Josh Kubicki: "If you've seen Karp on TV, your first read was probably: this man is having a nervous breakdown. Wild hair, restless hands, sentences that sprint and swerve. But there is more to it as that's not a man losing it; it's a man who doesn’t succumb to theatrics and playing it safe and just tells you the truth at speed. He holds a PhD in social theory and a law degree, and Palantir builds the software running on genuine critical infrastructure like the battlefield, intelligence, hospitals, energy. When he talks about data security, he means it in life-and-death terms, not marketing terms. His persona is the packaging and may be distracting. His argument is the reason to listen. Here is why."
Screenshot of LinkedIn post: "🧠 Josh Kubicki beat me to it! I just heard Palantir Technologies CEO Alex Karp warn against the information you provide to the foundational AI models! He says in no uncertain terms that the foundational models are a threat to US enterprises. Because Anthropic and OpenAI are getting all of the business data without knowing how it is being stored. Dr. Karp goes further to say we're outsourcing all data and information to be viewed through the prism of the consensus view in Silicon Valley (although that reference was specifically about battlefield usage). All of the business alpha, all of the intellectual property, everything being run through the AI of choice is giving the AI companies all of the knowledge about the company. Now many of us have had this concern for a long time, but not all of us are Alex Karp. Don't take my word for it. I've included the Brainyacts link below and link to the interview."
Screenshot from "Real America's Voice" of 3 doofuses talking about "building wealth for foster kids" with a horrifying pic of Trump and Melania up on screen.
Bar chart showing # of active 287(g) agreements signed by calendar month from April 2019 to June 2026, with June 2026 reaching a max of 177 agreements. Full data available in report here: https://datastudio.google.com/s/oFKE-ZF5yPw
Quote image from 'Maxwell Commons' newsletter post titled "2,033 Law Enforcement Contracts Feeding the Deportation Machine" by Andrew Thrasher. Quote text: "And it's all managed by the ICE component subagency, Enforcement & Removal Operations (ERO), that's also responsible for overseeing the immigration detention system, which marked its 20th death of 2026 this week when 63-year old Felix Alcorta-Rodriguez passed away in Texas."
Screenshot of image shared as Bluesky post from Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez, a gallery image titled "Deputized for Disaster" with images across the bottom row showing a large crowd carrying an "ICE Out Now" banner, a masked ICE agent, and a police officer arresting someone who is laying on the ground. Above these images is a map of 287(g) agreements by state, adapted from my Maxwell Commons newsletter.
Screenshot of '287(g) Program Tracker' overview page on Google Data Studio, showing a series of scorecards, a filled-area gradient state map showing relative # of active agreements, pie chart of program models, etc. Report and screen-reader friendly data here: https://datastudio.google.com/s/vCL4HME0mag
Screenshot of "287(g) Program Tracker" overview/home page, a report hosted on Google Data Studio. The overview page includes program-level stats, a state map with gradient indicating relative # of agreements in each state, a program model pie chart breakdown, and a cumulative active agreement stacked line chart since Jan 20, 2025. https://datastudio.google.com/s/jxuYj8Zcozs
Screenshot of 'Learn More' section from 287(g) Program Tracker landing page from Andrew Thrasher/Titus Consulting showing various resources from ACLU, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, American Immigration Council, etc. https://www.tituslegaldesign.com/immigration-101/287g-program
Titus, a large brindle dog, is walking down on the sidewalk and looking at the camera with his tongue sticking out...but also folded up to make him look very goofy
A very stylish toddler wearing a baseball hat that says "Mini", wearing bright green sunglasses, a unicorn crew neck with a jean jacket over it, flower pants, and bright purple shoes.
Screenshot from <https://www.tituslegaldesign.com/immigration-101/287g-program> showing media and other coverage of 287(g) program tracker: The New York Times: "ICE wants local police to enforce immigration law. These officers signed up." Allison McCann, June 12 2026 Austin Kocher (Substack): "This Week by the {Immigration} Numbers" @austinkocher June 13, 2026 U.S. House of Representatives: "Yesterday, U.S. Representatives Delia Ramirez (IL) and Sylvia Garcia (TX), joined by a number of Democratic House colleagues, hosted a shadow hearing on the 287(g) program." May 15 2026 Poynter Institute: "More immigration data is available than ever. Journalists should proceed with caution." Jon Greenberg, April 29 2026 The Kansas City Star: "76 Kansas & Missouri law enforcement agencies arrest people for ICE under Trump" Eleanor Nash, March 12 2026 KyPolicy + Immigration Research Initiative: "The economic and fiscal impacts of mass deportation: what's at risk in Kentucky" D. Kallick, S. Settle, D. Pugel, and A. Spalding, March 2026 Erika Nyborg-Burch (in California Law Review, forthcoming 2027): "Protection as Punishment: Victim relief in the crimmigration state" March 06 2026 Migration Policy Institute: "Escalation of ICE operations emboldens state and local lawmakers to constrain its operations" Muzaffar Chisthti + Kathleen Bush-Joseph, February 26 2026
Screenshot from linked newsletter article showing DHS IG post from 01/01/2026 https://maxwellcommons.substack.com/p/the-new-287g-cash-cow Text reads: Replacing the agency’s once-colorful messaging: a monotonous mouthpiece of racist dog whistles, lots of “security” talk, and a bunch of cringe posts celebrating ICE arrests. But over the past three months or so, we’ve seen this messaging take a far more explicit tone, peddling far-right nativist concepts like remigration centered around a new “Homeland Defenders” program + brand campaign. Then, on New Year’s Day, DHS posted the following with the caption “The peace of a nation no longer besieged by the third world.” Yes, that is the official Homeland Security Instagram account implying their goal is to deport roughly one in every three people living in the U.S. today. It’s deranged and pathetic behavior that stinks of Stephen Miller and his reptilian worldview.
Screenshot of Google Data Studio report page titled 'Canceled Agreements: 287(g) agreements removed from ICE's published list since December 08, 2025" with a timeline of each canceled agreement/agency (color coded by type of agreement), from 'signed date' to 'removed date' + sparkline visual of removed dates + avg/media/max/min breakdown. https://datastudio.google.com/s/nHRLKqhwtWE
Zoomed in filled area map showing county-level districts in the US southeast, with a narrow gap of unfilled counties across Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky.
Screenshot of Google Data Studio report 'Active 287(g) Agreements' from Andrew Thrasher (Titus Consulting) Image shows a filled area map of the continental U.S., with color-coded breakdown of the 816 county-level jurisdictions with a county-level agency with an active 287(g) agreement. There is a heavy concentration of filled counties (i.e. active participants) in the South and Southeast, including *almost) universal participation across Texas and Florida. Arkansas, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Oklahoma also have significant geographic coverage across participating counties. For the screen-readable data: https://datastudio.google.com/s/vKEnIP1s4_c
"COMMUNITY ALERT" A dark blue rounded rectangle contains the following information: LOCATION: NORTH AVE AND PULASKI DATE: JUNE 15, 2026 TIME: 9:45 AM This morning volunteers confirmed the presence of ICE vehicles in the area. These vehicles include a black Nissan Pathfinder with Illinois license plates FZ63978 and another Nissan Pathfinder with Illinois license plates GC12085. ICE IS STILL IN THE AREA! STAY HOME! ICE IS STILL IN THE AREA! STAY HOME! (underlined) REPORT ANY SIGHTINGS AND INFORMATION TO THE ICIRR FAMILY SUPPORT HOTLINE (855) 435-7693
Bluesky post from Andrew Thrasher (@tituslegaldesign.com) at 4:2pm June 12, 2026 in response to a 'Post blocked' message: "Buddy, if you think the NYT ownership is listening to me, I'm not sure what to say. Your profile mentions a drained battery. What about a nap, and maybe refocusing on bigger battles? Btw, this piece on movement building is a great read for anyone in advocacy. On that note :peace_emoji:
NYT replication of a filled area line chart from my 287(g) program report, showing the massive increase in total active agreements from 135 in Jan 2025 to 1,900+ today, and the relative increase in Task Force agreements specifically.
Screenshot of Flightradar, highlighting a US Air Force Boeing Stratotanker flying circles over the Gulf.
Image with newsletter quote: "Venturella inherits the agency in the middle of a large-scale recruitment campaign and reorganization. And the agency’s massive portfolio of intergovernmental contracts with local police, county jails, and sheriffs’ offices. He’s also inherited the massive war chest of funding from last year’s OBBBA — with another $30+ billion likely on the way3. Business is good!" Andrew Thrasher, "ICE's First Mile Contractors" (maxwellcommons.substack.com)
Combo stacked bar and line chart showing overall growth in ICE administrative arrests from October 2022 to early March 2026, including a significant increase in 287(g) related arrests in both volume and as a percentage of total ICE arrests. For screen-readable data see report page here: https://datastudio.google.com/s/mVHxUtr7eac
Screenshot of new 287(g)-Related Arrests page from my report on the 287(g) program here: https://datastudio.google.com/s/l_mlmNYKIWo Shows monthly increase in total ICE arrests and % of arrests tagged as 287(g) related and a state map and table showing Florida's giant lead in tagged arrests.
Filled area map of the 14 Louisiana parishes with active 287(g) agreements, including several parishes peripheral to New Orleans
Post from May 29, 2026 (response to news about ICE agent's initial arrest in TX): "Interesting...seems like a situation that could easily escalate into a nasty extradition battle if Abbot wants to make a fuss. 'Christian Castro, 52, was taken into custody Friday by Texas Rangers and agents with the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General.'"
Filled area map showing the 808 U.S. counties (with heavy concentrations in the south, midwest, and mid-atlantic) with active agreements in ICE's 287(g) program. https://datastudio.google.com/s/r2dtDC_4Jo4
Screenshot of an Instagram post from "northwestsiderrt" (Northwest Side Rapid Response). The post is a "Community Alert" graphic with an orange-to-white gradient background. At the top is an "Attention Please!" warning icon (a triangle with an exclamation point), followed by the heading "COMMUNITY ALERT" in blue. A blue text box reads: "LOCATION: KEDZIE, BETWEEN LAWRENCE AND FOSTER. DATE: JUNE 2, 2026. TIME: 7:45 AM. Volunteers have confirmed the presence of three ICE vehicles. The vehicles include a black Ford Explorer with Illinois license plate BT86603 located at 5026 N Kedzie, a red Dodge Durango with Illinois license plate FZ63996 at 4941 N Kedzie, and a Nissan Armada with Illinois license plate 869382 between Kedzie and Carmen. ICE is still in the area! REPORT ANY SIGHTINGS AND INFORMATION TO THE ICIRR FAMILY SUPPORT HOTLINE (855) 435-7693." At the bottom is a melting ice cube graphic, a faint butterfly, and the "NORTHWEST SIDE RAPID RESPONSE" logo. 🚨ALBANY PARK🚨".
Screenshot of article headline "Virginia Democrat who praised LGBTQ+ inclusion is now helping Republicans out trans kids" with an image of Rep. Vindman (Christopher Wiggins at The Advocate, May 21, 2026) https://www.advocate.com/politics/national/eugene-vindman-trans-student-betrayal
Screenshot from GEO Group March 2026 investor presentation (page 20) showing 'Revenues by Segment' pie chart: Reentry services (11%) Electronic monitoring & supervision services (12%) International (7%) State (15%) Federal (55%)
It is a powerful reminder that lawyers, especially those working closest to vulnerable communities, often stand at the intersection of law, democracy, fear, and humanity. Immigration lawyers know this reality too well. We see it every single day in our clients' lives and increasingly in our own emotional exhaustion. I am not going to lie as I am tired too. If you are feeling discouraged, overwhelmed, or questioning how to keep going during this moment, I truly recommend reading it. It reminded me of our role. We are often the last line between chaos and dignity for many families (even businesses!). This season is hard. But our work matters. Deeply. To my fellow immigration attorneys: take care of yourselves, lean on your community, and keep going. The profession needs courageous lawyers now more than ever. Immigration has been my life for the past 24 years and that's that. I have to breath in and keep going.
Spreadsheet cell with text "Mount Carmel Borough Police Departmentq"
Screenshot of report map (linked in post) showing the 65 canceled 287(g) agreements since Dec. 8th, 2025. 14 are in PA, making the pattern easy to visualize on the map.