An immigrant advocacy group is calling for a boycott of this year’s Tontitown Grape Festival after the Tontitown Police Department joined a federal immigration enforcement program.The Alliance of Immigrant Respect and Education (AIRE) is encouraging immigrants and their allies to avoid attending the festival in protest of the department’s participation in ICE’s 287(g) Task Force Model.In a statement, AIRE said the agreement allows local officers to perform certain federal immigration enforcement functions and has left many immigrant families feeling unsafe.”The department’s role in providing security at the festival further heightens concerns within our community and has led many immigrant families to feel that attending the event is not safe,” the organization said.The group said its concerns are directed at the city’s decision to participate in the program, not St. Joseph Catholic Church, which organizes and benefits from the annual festival. AIRE said it plans to continue encouraging people to avoid spending money at Tontitown public events until the city ends its participation in the program.The Tontitown Police Department joined the 287(g) Task Force Model in June this year. The agreement allows designated officers who complete ICE training to perform certain immigration enforcement duties under federal supervision.Immigration attorney Aaron Cash said the Task Force Model expands the authority of participating officers.”If you’re a task force officer, you are essentially acting under ICE authority for those purposes,” Cash said.Cash said some immigrant families worry the partnership could change their relationship with local law enforcement.”Just some concerns generally that our clients have would be that they expect police to be protecting and serving the community, not necessarily working on behalf of the federal government,” Cash said.Tontitown Police Captain Jerry Bowen said the department joined the program to enhance public safety and provide officers with another investigative tool.”Our goal is to pretty much just enhance public safety,” Bowen said. “That was our main reason for joining this is because we run into individuals that we can’t identify. Oftentimes they may have warrants, international warrants, that we can’t find on a regular database.”Bowen said residents and festival attendees should not expect changes in how officers police the event.”We’re not setting up checkpoints or checking attendees for their immigration status,” Bowen said.According to ICE’s website, the Benton County Sheriff’s office also signed up to participate in the Task Force Model program in June as well.We’ve reached out to their office but have not heard back yet.

TONTITOWN, Ark. —

An immigrant advocacy group is calling for a boycott of this year’s Tontitown Grape Festival after the Tontitown Police Department joined a federal immigration enforcement program.

The Alliance of Immigrant Respect and Education (AIRE) is encouraging immigrants and their allies to avoid attending the festival in protest of the department’s participation in ICE’s 287(g) Task Force Model.

In a statement, AIRE said the agreement allows local officers to perform certain federal immigration enforcement functions and has left many immigrant families feeling unsafe.

“The department’s role in providing security at the festival further heightens concerns within our community and has led many immigrant families to feel that attending the event is not safe,” the organization said.

The group said its concerns are directed at the city’s decision to participate in the program, not St. Joseph Catholic Church, which organizes and benefits from the annual festival. AIRE said it plans to continue encouraging people to avoid spending money at Tontitown public events until the city ends its participation in the program.

The Tontitown Police Department joined the 287(g) Task Force Model in June this year. The agreement allows designated officers who complete ICE training to perform certain immigration enforcement duties under federal supervision.

Immigration attorney Aaron Cash said the Task Force Model expands the authority of participating officers.

“If you’re a task force officer, you are essentially acting under ICE authority for those purposes,” Cash said.

Cash said some immigrant families worry the partnership could change their relationship with local law enforcement.

“Just some concerns generally that our clients have would be that they expect police to be protecting and serving the community, not necessarily working on behalf of the federal government,” Cash said.

Tontitown Police Captain Jerry Bowen said the department joined the program to enhance public safety and provide officers with another investigative tool.

“Our goal is to pretty much just enhance public safety,” Bowen said. “That was our main reason for joining this is because we run into individuals that we can’t identify. Oftentimes they may have warrants, international warrants, that we can’t find on a regular database.”

Bowen said residents and festival attendees should not expect changes in how officers police the event.

“We’re not setting up checkpoints or checking attendees for their immigration status,” Bowen said.

According to ICE’s website, the Benton County Sheriff’s office also signed up to participate in the Task Force Model program in June as well.

We’ve reached out to their office but have not heard back yet.