The Laramie County Sheriff’s Office is advising caution in enforcing Wyoming’s newly enacted law that invalidates certain out-of-state driver’s licenses issued to undocumented immigrants. County attorneys warned that aggressive enforcement could lead to constitutional violations and costly legal challenges.
A departmental memo obtained by WyoFile emphasizes that deputies should avoid detaining individuals solely based on the type of driver’s license they hold. The legal guidance echoes concerns raised earlier during the legislative debate—that local law enforcement is not trained or equipped to determine immigration status and could inadvertently violate constitutional protections during routine traffic stops.
Narrow Enforcement Scope
Legal advisers recommended that deputies only cite or detain drivers using licenses from Connecticut and Delaware, the only two states that clearly mark such licenses as being issued to individuals without legal status. While nearly 20 states issue licenses to undocumented immigrants, most do not distinguish between temporary visas and undocumented status, making enforcement murky.
This cautious approach mirrors actions taken in Florida, where similar legislation led to enforcement limited to the same two states’ licenses.
Chief Deputy Aaron Veldheer explained that deputies aren’t trained to verify federal immigration documents and cannot detain someone simply because of an unfamiliar license. Deputies may contact ICE or use specially trained colleagues for assistance, but if immigration status cannot be quickly confirmed, prolonged detentions could be unconstitutional.
Diverging Policies Across Agencies
The Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) is taking a different stance. WHP officers are instructed to request proof of lawful presence if presented with a license indicating non-citizenship. However, Col. Tim Cameron clarified that traffic stops must be based on observed violations—not immigration status alone.
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Teton County Sheriff Matt Carr initially awaited guidance from the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT), but when none was provided, he adopted WHP’s policy. He also announced that his jail would honor ICE detainer requests for individuals arrested locally, holding them for up to 48 hours pending federal pickup.
Fear Among Immigrant Communities
Immigration advocates, attorneys, and the Mexican Consulate in Denver have voiced concern about the law’s rollout. They’ve advised drivers to avoid answering questions about immigration status and to consult legal counsel if stopped. The consulate has also urged Mexican nationals in Wyoming to consider alternate travel options rather than driving themselves if they hold licenses affected by the law.
Rosie Read, a Jackson-based immigration attorney, described the new law as one of the harshest anti-immigrant measures in the nation. She expects it to be challenged in court but noted that, in the meantime, the immigrant community is experiencing heightened fear and uncertainty.
Read has seen individuals arrested for minor infractions quickly transferred to federal custody, even in cases without a criminal conviction. She’s encouraging people to minimize driving and ensure their vehicles are in full compliance with traffic laws to reduce the risk of being stopped.
ICE Involvement and County-Level Variability
While Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon allowed the bill to become law without his signature—citing concern about its enforceability—its application varies by county. Enforcement depends heavily on whether local departments have agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Five counties—Laramie, Sweetwater, Carbon, Natrona, and Campbell—have partnered with ICE, with the first three adopting the broadest “task force” model. This agreement allows deputies not only to work with ICE in jails but also to question individuals during routine traffic stops.
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Meanwhile, counties without ICE agreements or with more limited involvement face a different landscape. Even within law enforcement, there is no consensus on whether drivers using invalidated licenses should be arrested or ticketed, according to Allen Thompson of the Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police.
Legal and Humanitarian Implications
The law’s stated goal is to deter undocumented immigrants from driving in Wyoming. But its real-world impact appears to be widespread anxiety among immigrant communities, with many fearing even minor interactions with police could result in arrest and deportation.
Read emphasized that the law is unlikely to prompt undocumented individuals to leave the state. Instead, it’s amplifying fear among nonwhite, non-English-speaking residents, many of whom are longtime Wyomingites.
As this law continues to unfold, immigrants in Wyoming—especially those holding marked out-of-state licenses—face an uncertain and potentially dangerous road ahead.
