BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — The Idaho Sheriffs’ Association (ISA) is pushing back against what it calls a “deliberate attempt” by out-of-state political forces to resurrect a controversial immigration enforcement bill that died in a Senate committee.
The backlash follows reports that Stephen Miller, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor, allegedly contacted Idaho’s executive and legislative leadership on March 17 to pressure them to resurrect House Bill 659.
The bill, which would mandate that all local law enforcement enter 287(g) agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), had died in the Idaho Senate’s State Affairs Committee just the day before.
Following the alleged call from D.C., the Senate State Affairs Committee pressed forward this week reintroducing printing three draft pieces of legislation.
State Senate Pro Tempore Kelly Anthon, (R)-Rupert, presented draft bills regarding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and an Idaho Refugee and Illegal Alien Accountability Act. State Senator Lori Den Hartog, (R)-Meridian, presented a third draft bill on Federal Immigration Detainers.
An “Affront to Democracy”
In a scathing letter to the Idaho Legislature, Idaho Sheriffs’ Association President Dave Hansen denounced the move to bypass the State Affairs Committee’s March 16th decision. He labeled the immigration mandate redundant, costly, and a violation of local control.
“For leadership to try to resurrect the bill because they didn’t like the committee’s answer after fair debate is disingenuous,” Hansen wrote. “Idaho law should be written by Idahoans, rather than driven by pressure from Washington, D.C.”
Canyon County Sheriff Kieran Donahue, a former president of the National Sheriff’s Association, was equally blunt about the legislative overreach. Watch our complete interview with Sheriff Donahue below.
“Pick a side. Get off the fence,” Donahue said in an interview with Local News 8. “We are either for conservative values and local control, or you want to piecemeal it out at your discretion when it feels good or when you’re in a campaign. You’re political posturing. Why does the legislature feel they should mandate that sheriffs do the federal government’s job?”
What is the 287 (g) Program
The 287(g) program delegates limited federal immigration enforcement authority to designated local officers, allowing them to identify, process, and detain illegal aliens with pending criminal charges.
According to ICE’s website, the program operates under three main models:
- Jail Enforcement Model: Identifies removable aliens already in local custody.
- Task Force Model: Allows officers to exercise immigration authority during routine duties.
- Warrant Service Officer (WSO): Authorizes local officers to execute ICE administrative warrants.
While several Idaho counties have already opted into these programs voluntarily, the ISA stresses that many have chosen not to opt into the program due to the financial and manpower costs involved.
“We don’t have the facilities. We don’t have the manpower. We don’t have people that we can put out on task forces,” explains Donahue.
The Hidden Cost of Mandates
Supporters of HB 659 argue that ICE reimburses the costs for training and equipment. However, Sheriff Donahue argues those promises ignore the reality of a national police shortage.
“[Supporters] say ‘they’re going to give you cars,’ ‘they’re going to give you overtime.’ Yeah, they would. But I still have to send my people out for training,” Donahue explained. “I have to take commissioned patrol officers off the streets. I can’t just reach into a bucket and hire some more patrol officers. It takes a year and $100,000 to get somebody trained through the academy and onto the road.”
Redundancy: A Solution in Search of a Problem?
The ISA stresses that Idaho sheriffs already partner regularly with federal authorities. According to President Hansen, sheriffs currently share booking information, honor lawful detainers, and coordinate transfers effectively.
“Any claim that Idaho sheriffs are failing in this responsibility is false and misleads the public,” Hansen wrote.
“There is not one example in the state of Idaho where a jail or a sheriff’s officer or a police officer, a chief of police, has not answered the call of ICE or any of our federal partners, such as DEA, ATF, FBI. We work in concert with them,” echoes Sheriff Donahue.
Beyond the financial impact, the ISA argues the bill contradicts the core Idaho value of local control. The legislation would not only mandate participation in the current 287(g) program but also force local agencies to join “any future program or successor” created by the federal government.
“You are bringing a solution to a problem that does not exist in Idaho,” Donahue warned. “What if the next federal administration doesn’t want to enforce ICE? We would be caught between the federal and state governments. Who do we answer to, and who sues us first?”
The ISA concluded its letter by urging lawmakers to reject any “rushed or opaque” attempts to repackage the bill, insisting that any policy of this magnitude must include the input of the officers responsible for carrying it out.
Local News 8 has reached out to Governor Little for comment on the alleged call from Stephen Miller and how that is impacting the legislative process. We’ll provide further updates as we receive a response.
The Idaho Sheriff’s Associtation full letter to the members of the Idaho Legislature is included below.
