Operation Country Roads: 650 ICE Arrests in West Virginia

Operation Country Roads: ICE says two-week sweep in West Virginia led to 650 arrests as 287(g) partners played major role

Operation Country Roads, a two-week ICE enforcement surge in West Virginia from Jan. 5–19, 2026, resulted in 650 arrests across six cities, with state and local officers under 287(g) agreements responsible for the majority of detentions.

• 650 arrests statewide during Jan. 5–19, 2026 across Charleston, Huntington, Morgantown, Martinsburg, Beckley and Moorefield. (Sources: WV Metro News, WCHS/WVAH)
• More than 550 arrests involved state and local officers acting under 287(g) agreements; West Virginia agencies led the nation in daily 287(g) arrests on multiple days. (Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office)
• Focus on public-safety threats: targets included people in the country unlawfully and those with serious criminal convictions, including child endangerment and drug offenses. (Sources: WJLA, U.S. Attorney’s Office)
• Legal and civil-rights questions followed the operation, with critics citing constitutional concerns and pending lawsuits. (Source: Mountain State Spotlight)

Enforcement and Removal Operations — Philadelphia deployed specialized teams to six West Virginia cities for Operation Country Roads. Federal officers coordinated with 14 federal, state and local partners to identify and arrest people alleged to be in the country unlawfully or who pose public-safety or national-security threats. (Sources: WV Metro News, U.S. Attorney’s Office)

ICE and state officials framed the surge as a training and capacity-building exercise. ICE Philadelphia acting Field Office Director Michael Rose said the partnership expanded local capacity to identify, arrest and process illegal aliens while asserting operations were professional and lawful.

A central tool in the surge was the 287(g) program, which authorizes local law enforcement to perform certain immigration functions under ICE supervision. The U.S. Attorney’s office says 25 West Virginia entities have active 287(g) agreements, including the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard, the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation, multiple county sheriff’s offices and municipal police departments. (Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office)

Officials reported that more than 550 arrests were made with West Virginia officers participating under 287(g). State Police Superintendent Col. Jim Mitchell said troopers assisted ICE with hundreds of arrests since September and reported no apprehension mistakes. (Source: WV Metro News)

The operation included both civil immigration actions and criminal prosecutions. The U.S. Attorney’s office reported multiple federal criminal charges tied to the surge. In one cluster, eight people were charged following enforcement at a Nitro business and nearby residence on Jan. 16. (Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office, WCHS/WVAH)

Named cases in local reporting included Sagar Singh, an Indian national accused of operating an unsafe tractor-trailer, and Ling Yan (aka Yang Ning), a Chinese national with a prior final removal order and an Ohio conviction for endangering the welfare of children. (Source: WV Metro News)

West Virginia expanded 287(g) participation after state actions in 2025. Governor Patrick Morrisey signed a Memorandum of Agreement with ICE in August 2025 establishing the framework for 287(g) participation and issued an executive order directing law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration efforts. U.S. Attorney Moore Capito praised the operation for demonstrating “discipline and resolve” among state and local partners. (Sources: WV Metro News, WCHS/WVAH)

Officials connected the surge to the Department of Justice initiative Operation Take Back America, aimed at addressing illegal immigration and transnational criminal activity nationally. (Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office)

Civil-rights groups and some courts raised constitutional questions about the arrests. Critics documented lawsuits and complaints from immigrants alleging wrongful detentions and argued the operation raised due-process concerns. Journalists and lawyers warned that a heightened local role in immigration enforcement can blur lines between community policing and federal immigration work, potentially chilling cooperation with law enforcement. (Source: Mountain State Spotlight)

• Outcomes vs. arrests: How many arrested were ultimately charged with crimes versus placed in removal proceedings? Public counts identify arrests, not final outcomes. (Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office)
• Safeguards: What safeguards prevented mistaken arrests when local officers acted under 287(g)? Officials cite training and oversight; critics call for greater transparency and independent review. (Source: Mountain State Spotlight)
• Long-term pace: Will West Virginia sustain this level of cooperation and arrest activity beyond the two-week surge, and what are the impacts on jails and courts? (Source: WV Metro News)

Legal and policy contrasts: California law and many San Diego-area policies generally limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, and many local agencies do not participate in 287(g). West Virginia’s operation highlights divergent state responses to federal priorities and may inform San Diego debates about preserving or strengthening limits on cooperation. (Context: U.S. Attorney’s Office)

Public-safety trade-offs: West Virginia officials say the sweep removed people with criminal records; San Diego leaders must weigh similar claims against evidence that 287(g)-style cooperation can reduce trust between immigrant communities and police, potentially making crime-fighting harder. (Sources: WJLA, Mountain State Spotlight)

Legal exposure and resources: Adopting 287(g) would bring training, oversight, litigation risk and budgetary needs. West Virginia’s experience suggests lawsuits can follow large operations, which San Diego counsel would need to plan for. (Sources: Mountain State Spotlight, U.S. Attorney’s Office)

Community and economic impacts: Aggressive local cooperation can chill immigrant participation in the workforce and public life. In San Diego, where immigrant labor is vital to sectors like agriculture, hospitality and construction, aggressive enforcement could affect employers and workers. (Context: WV Metro News)

Practical preparedness: San Diego agencies should review custody, evidence and information-sharing protocols and consider transparency measures to protect due process and community trust if federal-local enforcement increases. Study of West Virginia’s coordination and subsequent legal challenges can inform best practices. (Sources: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mountain State Spotlight)

• U.S. Attorney’s press release and operation details
• WCHS/WVAH local reporting on law enforcement involvement
• WJLA analysis of criminal convictions and ICE focus
• WV Metro News reporting of named arrests and state police comments
• Analysis of legal concerns from Mountain State Spotlight

Local San Diego public-safety leaders, immigrant advocacy groups and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security can provide additional perspective on federal-state-local cooperation, community safety and civil-rights implications.

Note: This report preserves original facts and source links as reported by the listed agencies and outlets.