Wyoming Towns Ramp Up Local Policing Role in ICE Deportation Machine

Wyoming is quietly expanding its role in the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown by signing new 287(g) agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In April, the towns of Wheatland, Shoshoni, Pine Bluffs, and Moorcroft inked pacts to deputize local law enforcement officers to carry out federal immigration duties during routine policing. This move resurrects the “Task Force Model,” a 287(g) program that the Obama administration phased out in 2012 due to its inefficiency and harmful impact on community relations.

Under the 287(g) program, local and state officers can enforce immigration laws under ICE supervision, effectively turning sheriffs and police into immigration agents. The Task Force Model, which these Wyoming towns have adopted, allows officers to question and detain individuals suspected of being in the country illegally during their normal law enforcement duties. The program’s revival comes amid a massive increase in ICE’s budget—$75 billion allocated through 2029—making it the highest-funded federal law enforcement agency.

Local law enforcement officials defend the agreements as a way to maintain oversight and influence over immigration enforcement in their communities. “It was very important for the sheriff that we had a seat at the table,” said Jason Mower, spokesperson for the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office, which has had an ICE partnership for years. “We didn’t want the federal government to come into Sweetwater County unannounced and do whatever they want without our oversight.”

But immigration advocates warn that these agreements undermine trust between communities and police, leading to racial profiling and civil rights violations. Dana Ward, a Rock Springs resident who organized protests against ICE, pointed out that the Obama administration discontinued these programs because they were inefficient and sparked lawsuits alleging abuse and discrimination. Critics argue that deputizing local police in immigration enforcement blurs the line between community policing and federal immigration raids, chilling cooperation with law enforcement and jeopardizing public safety.

Wyoming’s embrace of 287(g) agreements is part of a broader national trend under the Trump administration to intensify immigration arrests and deportations by leveraging local law enforcement. Currently, seven Wyoming counties, the state highway patrol, and four towns participate in one or more 287(g) models, creating a patchwork of immigration enforcement policies across the state. Some counties focus on targeting criminals suspected of human trafficking or other offenses, while others have broader enforcement mandates.

Crook County Sheriff Jeff Hodge, whose office formalized a 287(g) agreement in January, emphasized that deputies do not seek out undocumented immigrants indiscriminately but act when immigration status arises during a criminal investigation. “We’re focusing on criminals,” Hodge said. “You’re just not arresting every illegal out there.”

Yet the broader consequences of these agreements are clear: they extend ICE’s reach into everyday policing, increase the risk of racial profiling, and erode the trust necessary for effective law enforcement. As Wyoming communities continue signing on, the stakes for civil rights and community cohesion have never been higher. The question remains: who truly benefits when local cops become immigration agents?