Key facts
- The ACLU is investigating Wyoming agencies with 287(g) immigration enforcement agreements.
- A lawsuit has been filed against the Laramie County Sheriff's Office and Sheriff Brian Kozak over these agreements.
- The lawsuit alleges improper implementation of the agreements without public process and county commission approval.
- Plaintiffs claim the agreements have negatively impacted their organizations and businesses.
- The ACLU is seeking information from the Wyoming Highway Patrol and seven other counties regarding their 287(g) contracts.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is expanding its scrutiny of immigration enforcement practices in Wyoming, following a lawsuit filed against the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office. The lawsuit, brought by Juntos, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Cheyenne, and Drew’s Barbershop, challenges the sheriff's office's 287(g) agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), alleging they were implemented without proper public process and county commission approval.
ACLU Senior Staff Attorney Andrew Malone stated that the organization has sent records requests to the Wyoming Highway Patrol and seven other counties that have similar agreements with ICE. These requests aim to determine if these agencies have improperly implemented their contracts, mirroring the allegations against the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office. Malone indicated that further legal action could be considered if the lawsuit in Laramie County is successful and other counties fail to adhere to approved procedures.
The lawsuit specifically accuses Sheriff Brian Kozak of violating state law by entering into three 287(g) agreements without public consultation. The plaintiffs argue that these decisions fundamentally alter the sheriff's office's duties and that Kozak lacks the authority to incur expenses without county commission permission. The agreements, which allow local law enforcement to perform certain immigration enforcement functions under ICE supervision, are described by ACLU Wyoming Executive Director Libby Skarin as a significant mechanism for expanding mass deportations.
Laramie County has engaged in all three types of 287(g) agreements, including the Task Force model revived by the Trump administration. Since signing the contracts last year, Sheriff Kozak has organized operations resulting in 118 immigration arrests, with deputies making approximately 300 total arrests through the Task Force agreement by mid-May. The plaintiffs claim these actions have diverted resources and directly harmed community members and businesses, including the owner of Drew's Barbershop who sold the business after a former employee was detained and deported.