Hours after more than a dozen people entered the county commission chambers to call for a resolution supporting immigrants, a woman was put in zip ties by plainclothes federal officers.
Teton County Sheriff Matt Carr said he got no advance notice, but later confirmed with federal immigration enforcement officials in Casper that they completed a targeted operation in Jackson, arrested one woman and have since left.
If kept in the dark, Carr said the worst case scenario could look like local law enforcement drawing guns on federal law enforcement.
“That looks like a kidnapping,” Carr said of the reported scene. “The agreement has always been that [the feds] would give me a heads up.”
Representatives from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday afternoon.
Earlier Tuesday, residents including immigrants packed a county commissioners meeting to call for a resolution recognizing the importance of immigrants in the community.
Chair Mark Newcomb agreed to draft a resolution for review next Monday after hearing support from the majority of commissioners. Commissioner Wes Gardner described the public statement as “the least we can do.”
Organizers plan to make the same pitch to the Jackson Town Council on Sept. 28. Jackson Mayor Arne Jorgensen previously told KHOL he supports the idea.
Carr, who has feared a worse relationship with the feds could put a target on the county, wondered aloud if Tuesday’s arrest had been retaliatory.
“The community is begging for a resolution, which I totally support,” he said. “But, the [arrest] timing is very interesting.”
The feds have removed about 200 immigrants from Teton County jail from March 2025 to early August 2026. Most were first arrested for driving-related offenses, a May KHOL analysis found. It’s not clear why the woman was targeted this week.
“A random arrest at a bus stop in broad daylight is intended to instill fear and send a message that immigrants are not welcome here,” said Emily Gomez, executive director of the Wyoming Immigrant Advocacy Project.
She said the arrest was likely a coincidence with her group’s comments to the commission.
“The reality is, this is every day in the life for many immigrants across this community and country,” she said.
Vanessa Chavarriaga Posada, another organizer who commented Tuesday, said the arrest underscored the need for action.
“It just goes to show that our local electeds staying silent is not actually protecting us from anyone. We need the support now more than ever,” she said.
