Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that it has increased the number of state and local law enforcement officers authorized to enforce the nation’s immigration laws under its 287(g) program, bringing the total to 1,200.  Under this program, ICE has the authority to train state and local law enforcement officers on immigration law, intercultural relations, and how to use Department of Homeland Security (DHS) databases to help positively identify criminals and immigration violators.  Twenty-six officers from eight states received training in accordance with a memorandum of agreement between their respective jurisdictions and the DHS.  Proponents of the contested Arizona immigration law argue that it is based on the Federal Government’s 287(g) program.