Taking a tough stance on immigration, Gov. Mitt Romney (R.-Mass.) made an agreement with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency to allow state troopers to detain any illegal aliens they may come across while going about their official duties.

“The scope of our nation’s illegal immigration problem requires us to pursue and implement new solutions wherever possible," said Romney in a statement released earlier today. "State Troopers are highly trained professionals who are prepared to assist the federal government in apprehending immigration violators without disrupting their normal law enforcement routines.”

Here are the details of the agreement, according a the press release:

The ability to enter into this agreement originates from the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, effective September 30, 1996, which added Section 287(g) to the Immigration and Nationality Act. The section was enacted to enhance the federal government’s ability to identify and remove foreign nationals that pose a threat to national security or public safety through closer cooperation and communication with state and local law enforcement.

Under 287(g), ICE provides state or local officers with the training and authorization to enforce federal immigration law as necessary in the course of their criminal investigative duties.[...]

Thirty Massachusetts State Police troopers from five units – the Violent Fugitive Apprehension Squad, the Criminal Investigation Section, the Anti-Gang Unit, the Drug Enforcement Unit and the Community Action Team - have been selected to attend a specialized training course developed by ICE for Massachusetts. The troopers will begin a five-week training course with ICE early next year.

The training focuses on immigration law, civil rights, intercultural relations and the issues surrounding racial profiling. Once troopers successfully complete the course and pass the related examinations, they receive official certification from ICE that grants them special 287(g) authority. After certification, ICE will continue to provide supervision and support, working with the troopers as they carry out their immigration enforcement functions.

According to news reports, the program could get cut short before the first round of training is completed. Romney's successor, Democrat Deval Patrick, has already announced his opposition to the agreement, according the Associated Press:

"I'm going to investigate what power I have," the governor-elect told reporters last week. "You know that I think it's a bad idea for state troopers to be involved in immigration enforcement. They have enough to do as it is, and I said that consistently."

Of course, Romney's conservative leanings on immigration leave him open to the continued speculation that he's moving to the right in preparation for a presidential run in 2008.