What Do Cheyenne Police Do With Potential Immigration Cases?

With all of the discussion about immigration enforcement recently, some folks may be wondering how Cheyenne Police handle situations where they come across suspected undocumented immigrants.

So we asked them.

Statement From CPD Spokeswoman

Cheyenne Police Department spokeswoman Alex Farkas gave us this statement on Thursday:

"The Cheyenne Police Department does not conduct immigration enforcement. CPD officers only make arrests based on probable cause under Wyoming state law or warrants signed by the court. Enforcing immigration laws is a responsibility of the federal government. We do not enforce federal law or settle civil disputes.

   If an officer comes into contact with someone who may be undocumented (no form of identification – usually during a traffic stop), the officer will request assistance through dispatch, who would route the request to an officer assigned to the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office ICE Task Force."

Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak and 25 deputies were sworn in by ICE in October.

At that time, Kozak issued the following statement:

To be clear our mission is public safety; the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) will fulfill its mission of public safety by identifying criminal aliens as an extension of their normal duties.  In other words, LCSO will not proactively engage in immigration enforcement.  However, if deputies encounter undocumented aliens during regular criminal enforcement, they may detain them for removal proceedings.  Deputies may inquire about immigration status only after a lawful stop, detention, or arrest based on reasonable suspicion of criminal activity.  Immigration enforcement will never supersede nor divert resources from core public safety duties.."