Summit County Sheriff’s Office clarifies stance on federal immigration enforcement

U.S. ICE Baltimore field office director, Matt Elliston, listens during a briefing on Jan. 27, 2025. Photo: AP Photo // Alex Brandon

Should ICE decide to conduct an operation within the Summit County Sheriff’s Office jurisdiction, the agency would likely make SCSO aware, though they are not required to do so.

PARK CITY, Utah – As the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has reportedly started to enforce incoming President Donald Trump’s deportation agenda in nearby mountain towns like Jackson, WY, the Summit County Sherrif’s office reaffirmed its commitment to equal enforcement of the law and equal service to the public, emphasizing that immigration enforcement falls under federal jurisdiction.

• It is the policy of the Summit County Sheriff’s Office that all members make personal and professional commitments to equal enforcement of the law and equal service to the public.
• The enforcement of immigration law is primarily the responsibility of the Federal Government. It is not the practice of the SCSO to proactively enforce federal immigration laws.
• Requests by federal immigration officials for assistance from this department will be directed to a supervisor. The Department may provide available support services on a case-by-case basis.
• The Sheriff’s Office remains resolute in its commitment to upholding the laws of the land and ensuring a safe community. Those individuals who choose to commit crime in Summit County will be held responsible, regardless of their citizenship status. – Summit County Sheriff’s Office

Senior Public Relations Liaison for the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Skyler Talbot, offered further explanation that should ICE decide to conduct an operation within its jurisdiction, the agency would likely make SCSO aware, though they are not required to do so. ICE could also ask for support or assistance and it would be up to the SCSO Watch Commander to decide to what extent they would assist.

Talbot said SCSO would need to decided on a case by case basis to what extent they would assist ICE if requested. If, for example, the request to assist had a criminal element, meaning the person or persons were involved in criminal activity, SCSO would likely agree to a more significant involvement.

“We’re going to respond to that just as we would any other crime,” Talbot said.

Reports from WY and other states

In Wyoming, Oil City News’ Andrew Graham recently reported that the Legislature and some sheriffs are simultaneously pursuing programs to align Wyoming with incoming President Donald Trump’s deportation agenda, and make the state an unwelcoming place for people in the country without permission.

“A growing number of sheriffs are pursuing agreements with the federal government to position county jails more firmly in the service of federal immigration enforcement,” Graham wrote.

Sheriffs in Laramie, Campbell and Carbon counties recently told WyoFile about discussions with U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials regarding agreements to assist with the deportation of noncitizens arrested for non-immigration offenses.

All of those counties line either Interstate 80 or Interstate 90.

One Laramie Sheriff hung a neon blinking vacancy sign over the door of his jail, saying his department would streamline ICE deportation through his jail.

Nationwide, NPR reports, more than thousand people suspected of being in the country without legal status were arrested over the weekend. The Trump administration says it’s focusing on migrants who present a public safety threat in what it calls a historic crackdown.

Ramped up enforcement has already upended how immigrants and mixed status families go about their daily lives, Jasmine Garsd reported.

“We’re afraid,” Rosa, a woman who is six-months pregnant and in the country illegally said. “We’re staying indoors, to avoid deportation.”

ICE deported more than 270,000 people over a recent 12-month period, the highest annual tally in a decade, the agency said in a recent report. It also said it made fewer arrests of noncitizens, in part because of the demand of sending staff to the border. Of those arrested, a greater proportion had serious criminal histories.