JANUARY 27, 2025|
Photo – Immigration logo – Courtesy US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Carbon County Sheriff’s deputies will work with ICE to detain illegal immigrants for an extended period of time.
During the January 21st Board of Commissioners meeting, Sheriff Alex Bakken announced that his department will participate in the ICE 287(g) program.
In 1996, the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency created the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act. Included in the measure is section 287(g), which allows ICE to delegate limited immigration enforcement authority to state and local law enforcement officers.
Sheriff Bakken said he will meet with ICE to figure out how best to implement the program in Carbon County.
Under the Warrant Service Officer program, ICE will train and certify Carbon County Sheriff’s deputies to serve and execute administrative warrants on illegal aliens in the county’s jail.
Unlike a criminal warrant, which requires probable cause of criminal activity, an administrative warrant authorizes law enforcement officers to detain or arrest individuals for immigration violations.
Commission Chairman Travis Moore explained that by participating in the 287(g) program, Carbon County is supporting the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency’s efforts to remove millions of illegal immigrants from the country. Chairman Moore asked Sheriff Bakken if he expects to be called on to serve ICE warrants.
Sheriff Bakken responded that ICE has never failed to retrieve a suspect within the legally mandated 48-hour timeline. However, should the federal agency be unable to respond within this time period, the 287(g) program permits deputies to detain the suspect until ICE agents arrive.
The county sheriff said more illegal immigrants are likely to be processed under the Trump administration. If the number of ICE warrants becomes overwhelming for the federal government, the sheriff’s department may be required to step in and enforce the 287(g) program.
Through his participation in the 287(g) program, Sheriff Bakken is ensuring Carbon County’s voluntary compliance with federal immigration laws. However, the Wyoming state legislature is working on a bill to require every county sheriff to “enter into an agreement with the United States Attorney General for the performance of immigration officer functions,” by October 1st of this year.
House Bill 276, titled “State Agreements to Perform Immigration Functions” states that counties that refuse to make an agreement with the Attorney General will lose access to all state administered law enforcement related federal funding.
State lawmakers are also considering Senate File 124, which requires all peace officers in Wyoming to inquire about the immigration status of every individual they issue a citation to or arrest. If the person is found to be an illegal immigrant, the officer must notify the United States Department of Homeland Security or Immigration and Customs Enforcement and hold the suspect until ICE agents retrieve them.
Senate File 124 also establishes penalties for transporting and hiding illegal immigrants anywhere in the state.
Both bills are currently under consideration by the state legislature.
