CHEYENNE, Wyoming — The American Civil Liberties Union of Wyoming filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office, alleging that the agency violated Wyoming law by entering into three 287(g) agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
These federal agreements deputize local law enforcement agencies to perform functions typically handled by federal immigration officials. Under the agreements, local officers can arrest individuals within the community and detain them in the county jail until they are transferred to a federal detention facility.
Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak signed the three separate agreements in May and June of 2025.
Andrew Malone, the senior attorney for the ACLU of Wyoming, stated that such a major policy shift should not be decided unilaterally by a single government official. Malone noted that Sheriff Kozak signed contracts for all three variations of the 287(g) models offered by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the three frameworks include the Jail Enforcement Model, the Task Force Model, and the Warrant Service Officer program. The Jail Enforcement Model is designed to identify and process removable individuals with criminal charges or convictions who are arrested by local police. The Task Force Model allows local agencies to enforce limited immigration authority during routine duties under federal oversight. The Warrant Service Officer program trains and authorizes local officers to execute administrative warrants on individuals inside the agency’s jail.
Data from the American Immigration Council indicates that the 287(g) program has historically created financial burdens for local governments, targeted individuals with minimal or no criminal records, and damaged relations between police departments and local communities.
Malone argued that Wyoming law establishes a specific procedure for these types of policy decisions. He stated that established case law designates county commissioners, rather than the county sheriff, as the authority permitted to enter into contracts.
Furthermore, Malone noted that the Laramie County Commission did not approve the financial obligations associated with the enforcement. He stated that the sheriff is required to secure commission approval before incurring expenses, noting that the agreements have already generated tens of thousands of dollars or more in costs.
According to Malone, the Wyoming Administrative Procedures Act also mandates a public notice and comment period before such policies can be implemented, allowing residents to review proposals and communicate with elected representatives. Malone stated this public process did not occur.
The plaintiffs named in the lawsuit include the immigrant advocacy group Juntos, the Universalist Unitarian Church of Cheyenne, and Drew’s Barbershop. Malone stated these entities were denied the opportunity to voice their opinions beforehand, resulting in a loss of time and money for each.
The lawsuit alleges that Drew’s Barbershop suffered direct financial harm after the sheriff’s office detained one of its employees. Malone stated that the loss of the barber impacted the shop’s business and profitability, which ultimately led to the decision to sell the business.
A total of 13 law enforcement agencies have entered into 287(g) agreements within Wyoming. Malone indicated he was uncertain how many of those agencies failed to follow state statutes, noting that the current ACLU of Wyoming lawsuit is directed solely at the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Brian Kozak did not respond to requests for comment from Wyoming Public Radio as of Wednesday evening.
In public Facebook posts, Kozak has previously defended the actions of his office, stating that deputies are performing their duties and taking action when encountering violations of state law.
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