Senate Bill 2329

AN ACT TO CREATE THE MISSISSIPPI GLACIER (ICE) ACT; TO CREATE THE MISSISSIPPI GLACIER (ICE) GRANT PROGRAM WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH SHALL PROVIDE GRANTS TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES PARTICIPATING IN THE FEDERAL 297(G) IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM; TO PROVIDE THE PROCESS FOR AWARDING GRANTS; TO PROVIDE A PROHIBITION OF GRANTS BEING AWARDED FOR CERTAIN ACTIVITIES; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO ADOPT RULES AND REGULATIONS NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT THIS ACT; TO ESTABLISH THE MISSISSIPPI GLACIER (ICE) GRANT PROGRAM FUND WITHIN THE STATE TREASURY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Mississippi Glacier (ICE) Act."

(2) For the purpose of this section:

(a) "Law enforcement agency" means any agency or unit of government or any municipality of the state or any political subdivision thereof, or any agent thereof which has constitutional or statutory authority to employ or appoint persons as officers, whether such agency or unit has an internal investigation division or not. The term also includes any private entity which has contracted with the state or county for the operation and maintenance of a nonjuvenile detention facility.

(b) "Partnership agreement" means that the law enforcement agency that has submitted and gotten approval from the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, under the 287(g) program, for the agency's Letter of Interest, and a signed Memorandum of Agreement is entered into by both agencies.

(3) There is created in the Mississippi Department of Public Safety the Mississippi Glacier (ICE) Grant Program to award grants to support state and local law enforcement agencies in the enforcement of federal immigration laws. Eligible grant recipients must enter into a formal partnership agreement with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement under the 287(g) program.

(4) The department shall annually award any funds specifically appropriated for the grant program to reimburse expenses for, including, but not limited to, subletting detention beds to the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, equipment, travel, lodging, and training programs, which include certified apprenticeship programs related to supporting the enforcement of federal immigration laws. The total amount of grants awarded may not exceed funding appropriated for the grant program.

(5) The Department of Public Safety must promulgate the rules and procedures governing the application and award process for the grant program. Grants shall be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, based on the date the department received each completed application. Consideration shall be given to whether the law enforcement agency was a recipient of a grant under this section in the previous year.

(6) In order to efficiently and effectively disburse the funds, the department shall not duplicate benefits, and grants may not be awarded to pay for any activity for which the agency has received or expects to receive federal or other funding.

(7) The Department of Public Safety shall adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement this act.

SECTION 2. There is created in the State Treasury a special fund to be known as the "Mississippi Glacier (ICE) Grant Program Fund," which may be established based on funds provided by the State Legislature. Awards authorized under the Mississippi Glacier (ICE) Grant Program shall be disbursed by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. The fund shall consist of monies appropriated by the Legislature and funds received as grants, endowments or gifts from the federal government, its agencies and instrumentalities and funds from any other available sources, public or private. Any unexpended monies remaining in the fund, including interest thereon, at the end of each fiscal year, shall not lapse to the State General Fund, but shall remain in the fund.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2026.