St. Charles County is considering a move that would put some of its police officers in closer lockstep with federal immigration agents. On March 10, county officials introduced Bill No. 5474, a proposal that would let county police enter a memorandum of agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under the 287(g) "task force" model. The ordinance, requested by St. Charles County Police Chief Kurt Frisz and sponsored by County Council Chair Mike Elam, would train a limited number of county officers to serve as liaisons with ICE. Supporters frame it as a public-safety upgrade, while immigrant-rights advocates warn it could discourage residents from calling the police.
What the bill says
Bill No. 5474 lays out a task-force style 287(g) memorandum of agreement that would authorize specially trained county officers to perform narrowly defined immigration functions during routine enforcement. The proposal specifies that the county will not accept ICE funding in order to participate. It also spells out that the MOA "should not provide excuses for violating the county’s code of conduct or the police department’s use-of-force policies," according to St. Louis Public Radio.
How the task force model operates
Under the 287(g) task force model, a small group of local officers is deputized to help identify and process removable noncitizens, share immigration information with ICE and, in some situations, take immigration-related steps during traffic stops or bookings. ICE says its training covers immigration law, multicultural communication and anti-profiling practices. State reporting has found that Missouri agencies have accelerated 287(g) agreements since 2025, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol signed its own MOA last year and started training troopers, according to ICE and Spectrum News.
Critics warn of profiling and legal exposure
Researchers and civil-rights advocates argue that the task force approach expands everyday policing in ways that can hit immigrant communities and people of color the hardest. Syracuse University researcher Austin Kocher has warned that the model "can exacerbate community concerns around racial profiling and lead to unlawful arrests and costly lawsuits," as reported by Stateline. Local coverage by KFVS notes that immigrant-rights groups describe the setup as a potential "police-to-ICE" pipeline and warn it could convince some residents to avoid any contact with law enforcement.
Backers frame it as a public-safety partnership
Supporters inside county government say the agreement is meant to fine-tune, not overhaul, local policing. Elam, the bill’s sponsor, told St. Louis Public Radio the MOA "won’t change too much about how the police department operates" and described it as another tool for keeping residents safe. That outlet reports that Chief Frisz initiated the request for the agreement and that the bill specifies the county would not be required to spend money beyond funds that have been lawfully appropriated or to waive any county obligations under Missouri law.
What’s next
With the measure formally introduced, it now heads into the usual county process of committee review and public hearings, where the debate over public safety and civil rights is likely to get louder. Residents can track upcoming council business and meeting agendas through the county’s online portal at the St. Charles County Agenda Center. For now, Bill No. 5474 is part of a broader wave of 287(g) discussions across Missouri, as local agencies decide how closely they want to align with ICE.
