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A Christmas Eve drive in southwest Missouri was the last time two Guatemalan men living in Branson were free from the grasp of ICE. That morning, cars streamed down I-44 outside Springfield, taking in the record-breaking warm air. But the men’s truck inched along, allegedly driving as slow as 25 miles an hour on the interstate, where the minimum speed is 40, according to the citation of the incident. That was enough for a corporal with the Missouri Highway Patrol to pull over the truck, driven by a 38-year-old man living in Branson, who, according to court records, did not have a U.S. driver’s license or vehicle registration. His passengers were a 19-year-old and a 15-year-old. Instead of arresting the driver, the trooper transported all three to the Greene County Jail, where the older two remained for weeks. Along roads across the nation — including in Missouri and Kansas — people detained for minor violations are jailed indefinitely before possibly being deported. These stops are part of controversial agreements between ICE and local and state authorities that allow officers to detain people on behalf of ICE, in exchange for the promise of money to buy vehicles and equipment, as well as salary reimbursement. Because of the 287(g) program, ICE agents are free to descend on places like Minneapolis and Chicago, while local police officers make immigration arrests in cities and rural areas in Kansas, Missouri and all over. Read our full investigation at the link in our bio. 🎥: Eleanor Nash/The Star (@eleanorcnash)
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