Shifting Scope
Immigration enforcement has become a major focus under the new administration, a change that affects many federal law enforcement officers and their job duties. The responsibility of managing the more than 7.6 million immigrants in the country without legal status currently falls on about 6,000 ICE deportation agents.
According to the Trump administration, more agents are needed to carry out the administration’s immigration priorities. To fill this gap, agents from the U.S. Marshals, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons are being deputized to assist with immigration enforcement.
The agents being deputized are highly trained in their specialized fields, but those fields do not necessarily include immigration enforcement. This is a materialization of the
whole-of-government approach being taken by the current administration to address immigration concerns. These agents are tasked with not only arresting those who are not in the country legally but also finding a way to remove them from the country, a process that will be highlighted in the media and likely subject to many lawsuits. Vulnerable deputized special agents must protect themselves – a professional liability insurance (PLI) from FEDS Protection can help.
Mission Modification
Federal agents are concerned these deputizations could cause issues for law enforcement officers, adding to the problems that they are already working to solve. Carlos Archuleta, who served more than three decades in ICE,
said, "Inter-agency competition is definitely a concern. So is exposure to civil rights violations, if you’re not familiar with the law." For those being deputized, there can be concerns about the level of training they will receive and potential legal vulnerability because of their lack of knowledge and experience, which may lead to mistakes and efficiency issues.
Regulations and Recoil
The lack of specialized training of federal agents from other agencies could cause a knowledge gap amongst those tasked with immigration enforcement, creating a greater exposure to allegations of wrongdoing, which could lead to disciplinary actions and civil lawsuits.
Any misstep in the handling of such high-profile tasks will lead to calls for accountability that may lead to allegations and investigations. Allegations and investigations can lead to suspensions, terminations, or even personal capacity lawsuits. If an allegation is made against you, it is a necessity, not luxury, to have knowledgeable and effective counsel advocating on your behalf.
FEDS PLI for Law Enforcement Officers
As the professional liability insurance (PLI) provider endorsed by the leading federal law enforcement employee associations, FEDS Protection offers federal employee PLI policies with $1 million, $2 million, or $3 million in civil liability protection for attorney’s fees and indemnity costs in the event you are sued in your civil capacity. The FEDS policy also includes $200,000 of legal representation coverage per incident for administrative actions and $100,000 of coverage for criminal defense costs.
Annual premiums for FEDS Protection PLI start at $290. Additionally, federal managers, supervisors, and law enforcement officers are eligible for a reimbursement of up to 50% the cost of their PLI policy through their agency. To learn more about how a FEDS PLI policy can protect you and your career, browse our site or call (866) 955-FEDS, M-F 8:30am-6pm to speak directly to a representative.
*This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.