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U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman singled out the Teton County Sheriff’s Department over the weekend, alleging non-cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
In a newsletter to constituents, Hageman suggests the department did not comply with federal immigration laws by releasing people with criminal records before transfer to ICE.
Teton County Sheriff Matt Carr, an elected official, could not respond immediately to a request for comment, but in a recent interview with KHOL he says his department is “not in the business of immigration.”
“It’s not anything that we at the local level are going to be involved with or have ever been involved with,” Carr said.
Carr told the Jackson Hole Daily Hageman’s message was “misinformation” and had led to “real nasty” phone calls and emails over the weekend. The Daily also reported the Sheriff was not aware of recent ICE operations in Teton County and that Hageman’s did not reach out to him before reporting the claim.
The interaction underscores the tension at the forefront of immigration issues for local law enforcement that does not position itself in alignment with the hardline stances of President-elect Donald Trump. Trump has pledged “mass deportations” starting his first day in office. In Wyoming, immigrants, immigration advocates and attorneys are taking that pledge seriously, scrambling to fill out paperwork, memorizing phone numbers in case of detention, and attending trainings to prepare for interactions with ICE.
In her newsletter, Hageman did not mention a specific instance of detention.
“My team learned just last week that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently conducted an operation in Teton County,” she wrote.
This summer, the Teton County Sheriff’s Department reported five undocumented men, four of whom had criminal charges. Those charges included driving under the influence, possession of marijuana and domestic violence. All had reentered the U.S. without permission.
Teton County does flag undocumented detained people for ICE. But they are not legally obligated to hold them until ICE arrives, as Hageman suggests — according to Jackson immigration attorney Elisabeth Trefonas.
Carr and Police Chief Michelle Webber have said they would obey federal laws and cooperate with ICE while prioritizing community safety and not working as de-facto ICE agents.
Teton County is one of Wyoming’s most liberal areas, though it is not a “sanctuary county” for immigrants.
