A Corpus Christi man chose self-deportation after being detained during a traffic stop by deputies participating in a federal 287(g) immigration enforcement program.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A Corpus Christi man has returned to Mexico after being detained by local deputies participating in a federal immigration enforcement partnership that critics say expands federal authority to local law enforcement.

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Adrian Vigil, a 38-year-old roofer originally from Mexico, chose to self-deport on Friday after spending nearly a month in custody following a traffic stop in Nueces County.

Vigil had lived in Corpus Christi for 13 years before the February arrest, having originally entered the country legally from Mexico. 

According to family members, deputies with the Nueces County Constable’s Precinct 4 followed Vigil before pulling him over on Feb. 10,  alleging he was speeding through a work zone. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were present, and Vigil was taken into custody.

The constable’s office is the only precinct of the five in Nueces County currently participating in the federal 287(g) task force model, a program that allows certain local law enforcement officers to assist ICE with immigration enforcement when there is probable cause or a warrant.

After weeks in custody, Vigil opted for voluntary removal, sometimes called self-deportation. 

Family describes emotional toll

Whitney Parra, Vigil’s cousin, said the decision has been difficult for the family.

“It’s been very heartbreaking just to be a part of it,” Parra said. “Just seeing how sad my cousin was, and really just missing Corpus. He just misses it.”

She said Vigil still considers Corpus Christi his home and hopes to return someday.

“He still loves Corpus, and he said that one day he hopes to return without fear,” Parra said.

Vigil is now in Monterrey, Mexico, trying to find work in a country he has not lived in for more than a decade.

Debate over federal-local partnerships

At least ten law enforcement agencies in the Coastal Bend have entered agreements under the federal 287(g) task force program.

Supporters say the partnerships help local officers work with federal authorities to address crime linked to drug trafficking and smuggling along major corridors like U.S. Highway 77. Kleberg County Sheriff Richard Kirkpatrick said his department uses the program to help address broader criminal activity.

“We have a large amount of criminal activity going down that highway that gets shared by multiple agencies,” Kirkpatrick said. “People think we’re out there specifically looking for someone who is here illegally. That’s not the case.”

Kirkpatrick said deputies must have probable cause before taking enforcement action.

“We’re not out there as the long arm of ICE targeting illegal immigrants,” he said.

Critics, however, argue the agreements blur the line between federal and local policing.

They say local officers receive far less training than federal immigration agents while gaining similar enforcement authority.

“Federal officers undergo very lengthy training to do this work,” one critic said. “For a local deputy to undergo about 40 hours of training and then be authorized to do the work of ICE in our community is very alarming.”

Response from local officials

3News reached out to Nueces County Constable Precinct 4 for comment about its participation in the 287(g) task force model but did not receive a response before deadline.