The Trump Administration has provided (July 7, 2026) $150,418 to the South Dakota Highway Patrol (SDHP) for SDHP’s 287(g) agreement with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The state anticipates further funding under the agreement as operations continue.
“Public safety is my number one priority, and I am grateful that President Trump shares the same commitment to keeping our state and all of America safe,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “Our partnership with ICE has delivered strong results, and I look forward to continuing to partner with the Trump Administration as we work to keep South Dakota strong, safe, and free.”
This financial support is directly allocated toward personnel payroll, specialized field equipment, and information technology (IT) stipends to support the agency’s coordinated enforcement efforts. Currently, the SDHP has 40 state troopers participating in the program. On May 18, 2026, Governor Rhoden announced the expansion of troopers who would be trained under the partnership.
State Troopers have assisted in more than 204 immigration-related arrests involving individuals unlawfully present in the United States who were encountered during routine patrols across South Dakota. Those enforcement actions included individuals accused of a wide range of criminal offenses, including murder, assault on law enforcement, and felony and misdemeanor drug crimes.
“The 287(g) framework gives our troopers the training and access to federal resources needed to properly identify individuals we encounter during the course of our duties,” said Colonel Casey Collins, Superintendent of the South Dakota Highway Patrol. “These cases have involved individuals accused of serious violent offenses as well as drug-related crimes. This program is a strong example of the partnerships that help us protect South Dakota’s communities.”
The Department of Corrections (DOC) and the South Dakota National Guard (SDNG) have also continued to work with ICE as part of this state-federal partnership.
DOC submitted additional inmates for parole to federal custody and deportation. So far, 25 inmates have been paroled directly to ICE custody. Four additional inmates were approved at the parole board meeting in June and are in process, and four more will be considered in July. Removing illegal criminal aliens saves South Dakota taxpayers an average of over $34,000 in annual cost per inmate.
The SDNG deployment of seven guardsmen has continued since last fall. These active-duty soldiers in Sioux Falls and Rapid City are helping process deportations, acting as a force multiplier for South Dakota ICE officers. Through July 2, the SDNG has assisted directly in processing 807 illegal immigrants who have been deported out of South Dakota. The guard costs have been paid directly with federal funds.
Governor Rhoden previously activated the SDNG and sent letters of intent to establish the 287(g) agreements. You can find the DOC letter here and the SDHP letter here.
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