The Utah Sheriffs Association credits a May trip to Washington, D.C., with prompting significant changes in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) leadership and operations within Utah. According to the association, these updates have fostered more effective and cooperative partnerships between local and federal law enforcement agencies.
These developments follow concerns raised by sheriffs regarding a previous lack of accountability and coordination from ICE leadership in Utah. Such concerns were previously detailed in a joint letter sent in January by Governor Cox and the Utah Sheriffs Association Executive Team to officials at ICE and the Department of Homeland Security.
Following the replacement of local ICE leadership in June 2025, new operational procedures are being implemented. These changes have enabled sheriff offices to pursue 287(g) agreements.
Kane County Sheriff Tracy Glover, who serves as president of the Utah Sheriffs Association, stated that with ICE now aligned to support sheriff-led enforcement, agencies can focus on targeting serious criminal offenders and maintaining community safety while supporting federal partners.
The new agreements are intended to provide greater access to federal data and resources to assist in identifying individuals already in custody without significantly altering how sheriff offices operate.
Each county sheriff remains an independently-elected, constitutionally-charged official, and each county will decide its own specific agreement with ICE. Under the 287(g) program, sheriffs may choose from three engagement models: the jail enforcement model, the task force model, or the warrant service officer model.
Utah County Sheriff Mike Smith noted that deputies will not participate in workplace raids or immigration sweeps, and any immigration-related actions will only occur after an individual has been arrested on separate criminal charges.
The Utah Sheriffs Association stated it will continue to maintain open communication with federal partners and closely monitor the implementation of these agreements.
