Know Your Rights if ICE Comes to Wyoming

This page is information, not legal advice. As of May 2026, seven Wyoming counties, four towns, and the Wyoming Highway Patrol had signed one or more 287(g) agreements with ICE. Laramie County (Cheyenne) signed all three 287(g) models and swore in 25 deputies in October 2025. Sweetwater County (Rock Springs) was Wyoming's first Task Force Model agency and is one of the few facilities certified to hold ICE detainees longer than 72 hours. Wyoming enacted a sanctuary city ban in March 2025 - no city, town, or county may declare itself a sanctuary. Teton County (Jackson) reversed its judicial-warrant-only policy in March 2025 and now honors all ICE detainers, though it has not signed a 287(g) agreement. ICE detainees are transported to Denver. Verify current conditions with the ACLU of Wyoming or a licensed immigration attorney.

Wyoming enacted a sanctuary city ban in March 2025, signed by then-Governor Mark Gordon, prohibiting any city, town, or county in Wyoming from declaring itself a sanctuary from reporting immigration violations to federal officials. The law took effect immediately. This removed the legal option for local jurisdictions to adopt non-cooperation policies. By May 2026, seven Wyoming counties, four towns, and the Wyoming Highway Patrol had 287(g) agreements with ICE - covering much of the state's law enforcement infrastructure.

Wyoming falls within the ICE Denver Field Office's area of responsibility. Detainees from Wyoming are transported to detention facilities in the Denver region. Sweetwater County (Rock Springs) is one of the few Wyoming county correctional facilities certified to hold federal detainees longer than the standard 48-72 hours, and has been transporting detainees from Teton County to handle extended holds.

Protests have occurred in Rock Springs and Cheyenne in response to the expansion of 287(g) agreements. The ACLU of Wyoming sent letters to Wyoming law enforcement warning about the community trust consequences of 287(g) participation. Despite this, enforcement partnerships have continued to grow.

Part 1: Your rights under federal law - everywhere, including Wyoming

These rights come from the U.S. Constitution. They apply in Wyoming regardless of immigration status, citizenship, or how you entered the country.

At your front door

The Fourth Amendment protects your home from government entry without your consent or a judicial warrant. A judicial warrant is signed by a federal judge, based on probable cause, and authorizes entry to a specific address. An administrative warrant - ICE Form I-200 or I-205 - is signed by an immigration officer, not a judge, and does not authorize entry to your home without your consent. Ask through the door which type of warrant is being presented. If it is administrative, you are not required to open the door.

During a traffic stop - including Wyoming Highway Patrol

You have the right to remain silent. You do not have to answer questions about where you were born, your immigration history, or your status. You can say you are exercising your right to remain silent and want to speak to a lawyer. You can ask whether you are free to go. If the officer says yes, you may calmly leave.

The Wyoming Highway Patrol has a 287(g) agreement with ICE. This means that WHP troopers have immigration enforcement authority during routine patrol and traffic stops on Wyoming roads. A traffic stop by a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper is a potential immigration enforcement encounter statewide. Laramie County deputies - 25 of them sworn in under the Task Force Model - also have authority during routine patrol and traffic stops in the Cheyenne area.

At your workplace or on private property

Laramie County Sheriff Kozak stated publicly that his policy prohibits immigration sweeps and does not allow deputies to enter private property - schools, churches, homes, businesses, or farms - for the sole purpose of immigration enforcement. This is the sheriff's stated policy, not a legal protection. ICE agents operating independently are not bound by local sheriff policies. Federal agents with a judicial warrant may enter any property. Without a warrant, you retain Fourth Amendment protections on private property.

Do not sign anything without a lawyer

Documents presented during an ICE arrest may include voluntary departure agreements or stipulated removal orders that waive your right to a hearing before an immigration judge. Do not sign anything without speaking to an attorney first.

Part 2: Wyoming's 287(g) network

Laramie County - all three models

Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak signed all three 287(g) agreement types: Jail Enforcement Model (JEM), Warrant Service Officer (WSO), and Task Force Model (TFM). On October 1, 2025, 25 Laramie County deputies were sworn in at a formal ceremony at the Historic Courthouse in Cheyenne, with the ICE Denver Field Office Director and the U.S. Attorney for Wyoming both present. Under the Task Force Model, Laramie County deputies serve as 'force multipliers' in non-custodial settings - meaning on patrol, during traffic stops, and in the community, not only in the jail. Sheriff Kozak intends to use Task Force deputies for drug and human trafficking interdiction operations.

Sweetwater County - Task Force Model and extended hold facility

Sweetwater County (Rock Springs, Green River) was Wyoming's first agency to adopt the Task Force Model in 2025. Sweetwater County's facility is one of the few in Wyoming certified to hold ICE detainees for more than 72 hours, making it a regional transfer hub. Sweetwater County deputies have been transporting ICE detainees from Teton County to the Sweetwater facility for extended holds. Under the Task Force financial structure, Sweetwater County received a $100,000 initial transportation stipend, $7,500 per task force officer for equipment, a $15,000 quarterly per-officer stipend, and 100% reimbursement of wages and benefits for hours worked on ICE cases. The Natrona County Sheriff's Office (Casper) had received $137,500 in stipends as of mid-2026.

Teton County - detainer policy reversed, no 287(g) signed

Teton County (Jackson) had previously only honored ICE detainer requests signed by a judge. Under congressional pressure, Teton County Sheriff Matt Carr changed this policy in March 2025 and now honors all ICE detainer requests. However, Sheriff Carr stated that the Teton County Sheriff's Office would not enter into a formal 287(g) agreement with DHS. Community members in Teton County launched a petition objecting to extended holds without judicial warrants and to transferring people to immigration custody after arrests for minor offenses.

Wyoming Highway Patrol

The Wyoming Highway Patrol has signed a 287(g) agreement with ICE, giving WHP troopers immigration enforcement authority during routine patrol statewide. Wyoming's highway system spans the entire state, making WHP's agreement one of the broadest-reach agreements in terms of geographic coverage.

Four additional towns - April 2026

In April 2026, the towns of Wheatland, Shoshoni, Pine Bluffs, and Moorcroft all signed Task Force Model agreements with ICE, bringing total Wyoming 287(g) agencies to seven counties, four towns, and the Highway Patrol as of May 2026.

Part 3: Wyoming's sanctuary city ban

Wyoming enacted a law in March 2025, signed by Governor Gordon, that prohibits any Wyoming city, town, or county from declaring itself a sanctuary from reporting immigration violations to federal officials. The law became effective immediately. This was passed during the 2025 legislative session with Republican lawmakers pointing specifically to Teton County's prior judicial-warrant-only detainer policy as justification.

The practical effect: no Wyoming local government can adopt a formal policy of limiting cooperation with ICE. Local officials can still make decisions about whether to enter 287(g) agreements, but they cannot adopt non-cooperation policies as a matter of local law or resolution.

Part 4: What to do right now, before anything happens

Know your A-number and make sure trusted family members have it written down. Wyoming detainees are transported to the ICE Denver Field Office's facilities in Colorado.

Know that the Wyoming Highway Patrol has a statewide 287(g) agreement. Any WHP traffic stop is a potential immigration enforcement encounter anywhere in Wyoming. The same applies to Laramie County Sheriff's deputies in the Cheyenne area and Sweetwater County in the Rock Springs and Green River area.

Know that Teton County (Jackson) now honors all ICE detainers, even without a 287(g) agreement. If you are arrested and booked into the Teton County Jail, ICE will be notified. Community opposition has been organized - a petition was launched against the policy - but the policy has not changed as of mid-2026.

Know that if you are held in most Wyoming county jails, the standard hold is 48-72 hours before transfer. Sweetwater County is an exception - it is certified for longer holds and has been used as a regional transfer point.

Connect with the ACLU of Wyoming before a crisis. Wyoming has limited immigration legal services infrastructure, and connecting with advocates before an emergency is especially important in a state with widely dispersed communities.

Prepare guardianship documents for any children. Set up a financial power of attorney so a trusted person can manage accounts if you are detained and transported to Colorado.

Part 5: Legal help and resources in Wyoming

ACLU of Wyoming sent letters to Wyoming law enforcement agencies warning about the civil rights consequences of 287(g) participation and has been the primary civil liberties voice on enforcement in the state. Their website is aclu-wy.org.

Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (WCADVSA) connects immigrant survivors of domestic violence to legal assistance. Immigrant survivors of crime may have specific legal pathways including U visa eligibility that require specialist legal help.

WyoFile, Oil City News, and Wyoming Tribune Eagle have provided the most detailed journalism on Wyoming's 287(g) expansion and are reliable sources for current enforcement developments.

For immigration court case information, call the EOIR automated line at 1-800-898-7180. To locate someone in ICE custody, use the ICE Online Detainee Locator at locator.ice.gov. Wyoming detainees fall under the ICE Denver Field Office and are typically transferred to facilities in Colorado. Call the ICE Detention Reporting and Information Line at 1-888-351-4024 if your person does not appear in the locator.

Immigration Advocates Network lists Wyoming legal providers at immigrationadvocates.org.

Wyoming enacted a sanctuary city ban in March 2025 and has rapidly built one of the most extensive per-capita 287(g) networks in the country - seven counties, four towns, and the Highway Patrol as of May 2026. Laramie County swore in 25 Task Force deputies in October 2025. Sweetwater County functions as a regional ICE transfer hub for extended holds. Teton County reversed its judicial-warrant-only detainer policy and now honors all ICE requests. The Wyoming Highway Patrol has statewide enforcement authority. Your federal constitutional rights apply in full: an administrative warrant does not authorize entry to your home, your right to remain silent applies during all law enforcement encounters including WHP traffic stops, and you cannot be compelled to sign anything without a lawyer. Connecting with the ACLU of Wyoming before a crisis and knowing your county and town's specific 287(g) status are the foundations for protecting your family in Wyoming.

This page reflects conditions as of mid-2026. Wyoming's sanctuary ban was signed March 2025 and is in effect. Seven counties, four towns, and Wyoming Highway Patrol had 287(g) agreements as of May 2026 - the number may grow. Laramie County's Task Force swearing-in occurred October 1, 2025. Sweetwater County added Task Force Model in 2025. Teton County changed its detainer policy March 2025 but has not signed 287(g). Verify current agency status with WyoFile or ACLU of Wyoming at aclu-wy.org.