Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon has signed a landmark agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), making the Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) the first statewide agency to join the 287(g) program. Announced on July 28, 2025, the deal authorizes select troopers in five counties—Laramie, Carbon, Sweetwater, Natrona, and Campbell—to assist ICE in immigration enforcement during routine patrols. The program, backed by President Trump’s January 2025 executive order, allows troopers to access ICE databases, investigate immigration status, and detain individuals under ICE oversight, with training provided at no cost to the state.
Gordon hailed the move as a step toward securing national borders, emphasizing Wyoming’s role in combating illegal immigration. WHP Colonel Tim Cameron noted that troopers, patrolling key interstate corridors, are well-positioned to identify violations, enhancing public safety. Five Wyoming sheriff’s offices already participate in similar ICE agreements, and more counties are exploring the program. Supporters argue it bolsters national security, citing 53,000 ICE arrests of immigrants with criminal backgrounds from 2021 to 2024.
Critics, including ACLU Wyoming’s Antonio Serrano, warn of racial profiling and eroded community trust, noting that most ICE detainees in Wyoming lack criminal records. The agreement, they argue, may deter immigrants from reporting crimes, undermining public safety. As Wyoming becomes the second state after Florida to formalize such a partnership, the debate over local law enforcement’s role in federal immigration policy intensifies.
