Well, this is one way to “truck around and find out.”
A Wyoming Sheriff is at the center of a lawsuit alleging he failed to obtain the proper authorization before signing several contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
In October 2025, the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office announced that Sheriff Brian Kozak, along with 25 Laramie County Deputies, had been sworn in by ICE and were authorized to enforce immigration law. That action resulted from one of three contracts signed by Kozak with ICE that would allow deputized members of the department to carry out immigration enforcement.
The suit, filed on May 26 by the American Civil Liberties Union of Wyoming, argues that Kozak signed the contracts without the Laramie County Commission’s authorization and that he failed to comply with the state’s rulemaking procedures, which would have ensured community involvement before the contracts were signed.
“When it comes to decisions that affect our communities, Wyomingites deserve a transparent, democratic process. Sheriff Kozak’s decision to unilaterally sign these 287(g) agreements without the approval of the elected County Commission is not only reckless, it is illegal,” Libby Skarin, ACLU of Wyoming executive director, said in a statement. “At a time when reactionary anti-immigration officials assume that they can act with impunity to implement a chaotic and cruel agenda targeting immigrants across the United States and right here in Wyoming, it’s critical to send a message that nobody is above the law. Sheriff Kozak is no exception.”
The suit alleges that the agreements “expose the plaintiffs to ongoing harm” and asks the court to declare the contracts invalid.
Statewide, Wyoming has been aggressively ramping up immigration enforcement.
In addition to Laramie County, six other counties, the Wyoming Highway Patrol, and four towns have signed at least one 287(g) agreement with ICE.
In February, Sheriff Kozak announced the results of a three-day enforcement campaign tabbed “Truck Around and Find Out.” Over the three days, deputies conducted 82 traffic stops on commercial vehicles, with 32 illegal immigrants being arrested and handed over to ICE.
In March, the state passed a law enabling local police to enforce English language proficiency laws. Prior to that, only the Wyoming Highway Patrol had the authority to do so. LL
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