Controversial Collaboration: Canyon County Probation Department's Coordination with ICE Raises Concerns
The Canyon County probation department in Idaho has been collaborating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents by sharing information about foreign-born individuals on probation. The department compiled a list of probationers born outside the U.S., including those with legal status, and shared it with ICE. This collaboration has raised concerns among immigration attorneys and advocates that individuals with legal status could be wrongfully detained. The probation department's director, Jeff Breach, stated that verifying legal status is the responsibility of federal authorities. The emails obtained by InvestigateWest show how probation officers provided information to ICE agents and coordinated probation appointments with them.
The probation department's list included 82 individuals on probation in Canyon County, with over half of them on probation for driving under the influence. The emails revealed that probation officers regularly informed ICE agents about probationers' appointments and whereabouts. ICE agents were notified about missed check-ins, and officers even provided home addresses and vehicle information of probationers to ICE. The probation department's collaboration with ICE has sparked concerns about potential wrongful detentions of individuals with legal status.
Immigration attorneys have expressed worries that ICE could mistakenly target individuals on the probation department's list, leading to unjust detentions. The collaboration between the probation department and ICE has intensified in recent years, with ICE agents making arrests of individuals with legal status in other states. The Department of Homeland Security has established a unit to review the status of green card holders. The Canyon County probation department's close coordination with ICE has raised privacy and legal concerns among immigration advocates and attorneys.
Canyon County, with a significant Latino population, has been the site of immigration enforcement actions, including a high-profile raid in Wilder. The county's law enforcement agencies have faced criticism for assisting ICE in detaining individuals, including U.S. citizens, based on their immigration status. The probation department's collaboration with ICE has drawn attention to the broader issue of local law enforcement's involvement in immigration enforcement. While some states have laws prohibiting such cooperation, Idaho has encouraged collaboration with federal immigration authorities.
The level of coordination between the Canyon County probation department and ICE has sparked debate among legal experts and advocates. In states like Washington and Oregon, sanctuary laws prevent local and state law enforcement from working with federal immigration agents. However, in Idaho, such collaboration is permitted and even incentivized. The probation department's actions highlight the challenges and controversies surrounding immigration enforcement at the local level. The concerns raised by immigration attorneys and advocates underscore the need for clear guidelines and safeguards to protect individuals' rights and prevent wrongful detentions.