Wyoming ACLU Comments On Laramie County Sheriff ICE Authorization

The Wyoming American Civil Liberties Union has issued a statement on news that Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak and 25 of his deputies have been sworn in by ICE to help with immigration enforcement.

ACLU: People Who Pose No Threat Are Being Targeted

Antonio Serrano, the ACLU Wyoming Advocacy Director, issued the following statement:

"While the Trump administration claims to only be targeting people with serious criminal records, it has failed to provide data to back that up. In the meantime, we’ve seen scores of accounts of students, parents and their young children, and long-time residents who pose no danger to anyone being arrested and in many cases swiftly deported.

"It’s not wise to divert local law enforcement resources to subsidize federal immigration enforcement. Laramie county deputies belong in the neighborhoods of our communities providing crime prevention services to build trust and maintain order – not to be pulled out of neighborhoods to handle a federal responsibility.

"Our local taxpayer dollars are better spent investing in programs that actually keep our communities safe, not fueling the Trump administration’s plans to deport immigrants who contribute to our communities and our economy. When local law enforcement plays the role of federal immigration agents, they have to make judgments about complex areas of federal law. That involves judgments far beyond their training and ordinary duties that often rely on racial profiling.

"Deputizing so many local law enforcement officers to act as immigration agents diverts resources away from activities and investigations that actually keep our neighborhoods safe. By participating in 287(g) agreements, the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office is actually eroding trust in local law enforcement and deterring immigrant families from coming forward when they are the victims of crime or even asking for basic assistance."

Sheriff's Office: Wyoming Doesn't Want To Be A Sanctuary State

A news release from he Sheriff's Office included the following:

"Wyoming does not want to be a sanctuary state for those who ignore our laws and threaten public safety. Our safety depends on holding accountable those who violate our laws, especially individuals who come unlawfully and commit further crimes in our state. Criminal aliens: those who have broken immigration laws and who are also arrested for other offenses pose a threat to our Laramie County citizens. Removing these individuals protects our families, neighborhoods, and businesses."

You can read more about the sheriff's office immigration policy here.