Red and blue states diverge sharply on immigration enforcement cooperation

As Operation Metro Surge intensified national attention on immigration enforcement, red and blue states moved sharply in opposite directions on cooperation with federal authorities. By February 2026, 39 states had agencies participating in 287(g) programs allowing local police to act as ICE deputies, while blue states including New York, Illinois, and Massachusetts expanded sanctuary protections and introduced legislation banning local cooperation with ICE. The divergence created a patchwork of enforcement intensity that directly shaped where federal operations concentrated.