12 people detained in West Virginia through ICE partnership

PAX, W.Va. (WBOY) — West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey said Tuesday that over the past two days, 12 people have been arrested in West Virginia for alleged immigration violations.

The arrests were made by the West Virginia State Police acting as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials under the ICE 287(g) program. The partnership between the state of West Virginia and ICE to allow certain local officers to perform ICE directives was announced in August.

According to the press release from Morrisey’s office, 12 undocumented immigrants were apprehended during traffic stops by the State Police Parkways Interdiction Team on Sunday and Monday. The arrests took place along the West Virginia Turnpike/Interstate 77 near the community of Pax in Fayette County, the release said. The 12 people were arrested for immigration violations and taken to South Central Regional Jail, the governor’s office said.

“I am proud to have West Virginia’s Law Enforcement working together with ICE to enforce the nation’s immigration laws and support President Trump’s border policies,” Morrisey said in the release.

Under the partnership, members of the West Virginia State Police, West Virginia National Guard, and the West Virginia Division of Corrections can be trained to conduct immigration officer functions.

The partnership follows a plan that Morrisey announced back in February to speed up illegal immigrant deportations in the state. Since the partnership was announced, there have been protests against Morrisey’s stance on deportations and ICE, including in Morgantown.