Wyoming Counties Double Down on ICE Partnerships Amid National Backlash

Wyoming is deepening its collaboration with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as several counties and towns ink new 287(g) agreements that deputize local law enforcement to enforce federal immigration laws. The Trump administration’s revival of the Task Force Model in 2025 has spurred a rapid expansion of these partnerships nationwide, with Wyoming now seeing seven counties, four towns, and the Wyoming Highway Patrol signed on.

The new agreements, including those recently signed by Wheatland, Shoshoni, Pine Bluffs, and Moorcroft, empower local police and sheriffs to carry out immigration enforcement duties during routine operations. ICE aggressively promotes these pacts, even providing materials encouraging local officials to join. The federal government’s funding surge—allocating $75 billion to ICE through 2029—means Wyoming sheriffs stand to receive significant financial support by cooperating.

But these partnerships come at a cost. Community activists and immigration advocates warn that 287(g) agreements have historically led to racial profiling, damaged trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities, and triggered lawsuits over civil rights abuses. Protesters in Rock Springs and Cheyenne have voiced strong opposition, demanding an end to local ICE detention holds and collaboration.

Dana Ward, a Rock Springs resident and organizer of anti-ICE protests, notes that the Obama administration phased out the Task Force Model in 2012 precisely because it proved ineffective and harmful. “These agreements effectively turn local police into ICE agents,” Ward says, “making communities less safe and more divided.”

Local law enforcement officials defend their participation by emphasizing the desire for oversight and control. Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Jason Mower explains, “If this was going to be a federal priority, regardless of whether or not we were on board, we didn’t want the federal government to come in unannounced and do whatever they want without our oversight.”

Wyoming sheriffs have a long history of working with ICE, but the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration agenda and increased funding have accelerated the expansion of these partnerships. The result is a growing network of local agencies enforcing federal immigration laws, raising urgent questions about civil rights, community safety, and the true cost of turning local law enforcement into immigration agents.

As Wyoming’s counties continue to sign on, the debate over 287(g) agreements underscores a broader national conflict over immigration enforcement strategies, government overreach, and the fight for immigrant rights in communities across the country.