Sheriff’s deputies in Laramie County, Wyoming, detained a man from Venezuela following a traffic stop last month. The sheriff’s department has an agreement with the federal government to perform immigration arrests. On a Tuesday morning in May, deputies conducted a traffic enforcement operation, making 41 stops, issuing 12 citations, and making two criminal arrests, while detaining seven immigrants through a partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The detainees were booked into the county jail pending transfer to an ICE facility. The deputies earned a total of $1,325 in overtime from the federal government for their work.
The 287(g) program, which allows local law enforcement to act as immigration agents, has expanded under the Trump administration, incentivizing agencies to participate. This program enables certified officers to inquire about the immigration status of individuals during routine police work and to detain immigrants if necessary. The Laramie County sheriff, Brian Kozak, stated that the program improves efficiency in processing detainees.
Despite the program's growth, participation remains limited, with fewer than 300 agencies credentialed for immigration enforcement work as of March. The Department of Homeland Security has not provided updated figures on arrests or payments related to the program. Markwayne Mullin, the Homeland Security secretary, highlighted the potential benefits of the 287(g) program at a recent conference, emphasizing the speed of arrests with increased participation from local agencies.