Idaho has experienced one of the sharpest surges in ICE enforcement activity in the country. Immigration arrests rose 797% in the first half of 2025, the state signed 8 new 287(g) agreements in 14 months, the legislature attempted (and failed) three times to mandate 287(g) statewide, and a mass raid at a racetrack in Canyon County triggered an ACLU class-action lawsuit. Meanwhile, the state’s $5.1 billion dairy industry — 90% reliant on foreign-born labor — faces existential workforce risk.

The 287(g) Explosion

Before 2025, Idaho had just 2 legacy 287(g) agreements (Power County and Gooding County, both from 2020). Since January 2025, 8 new agencies have signed, bringing the total to 10 active 287(g) agreements:

Active 287(g) Agencies (all confirmed via ACLU of Idaho)

New signer — Ada County reverses course (May 2026)

• Ada County — Sheriff Matt Clifford, who had loudly opposed mandatory 287(g) legislation in March 2026 (“bad legislation,” redundancy, cost), announced in May 2026 his office will sign a Warrant Service Officer 287(g) agreement — the “lightest” model. Staff expected to begin online training by end of summer 2026. Clifford framed the WSO model as voluntary, no added funding, withdrawable at any time, and a way to “streamline” placing detainers without ICE needing to make the trip. This is a notable reversal by a former opponent and pushes Idaho toward 11 participating agencies (Spokesman-Review, May 22, 2026).

Notable non-signers

• Canyon County — Sheriff Kieran Donahue opposed mandatory bills citing unfunded mandates, but Canyon County has a long-standing IGSA

Arrest and Detention Surge

• 797% increase in ICE arrests: 41 in first half of 2024 vs. 368 in first half of 2025
• 54% increase in ICE detentions: 321 in H1 2024 vs. 496 in H1 2025
• By October 2025, Idaho State Police had transported 40+ people to ICE facilities for deportation
• ISP authorized to spend up to $300,000 for up to 100 transports over 12 months

ISP transport program — 83 people and counting; pre-conviction scandal (May 2026 update)

• By late May 2026, ISP had transported 83 people to ICE for deportation since the June 2025 partnership began
• A new batch of 30 transports since October 2025: the Idaho Capital Sun independently verified criminal convictions for all but one (6 felony drug possession, 3 felony DUI, 1 drug trafficking, 3 aggravated assault, 2 child injury, 2 lewd conduct with a child)
• Policy change: An October 2025 analysis of the first 53 transports found at least 6 people still had pending/open court cases and 4 could not be found in court records at all — i.e., people were handed to ICE before conviction. ISP Director Col. Bill Gardiner attributed this to a “leadership transition” and said the agency had not initially verified convictions; ISP now verifies convictions before transferring people to ICE
• Spending to date: $28,932.70 reimbursed from the governor’s emergency fund (of the $300,000 authorized)
• Transport route: Idaho prisons/jails → ICE offices in Boise and Twin Falls → bus to ICE detention in Las Vegas; some end up at the Northwest ICE Processing Center (Tacoma, WA) and California facilities

Key IGSA Facilities

Mandatory 287(g) Legislation (HB 659)

Three attempts in the 2026 legislative session to mandate 287(g) participation for all Idaho law enforcement all failed:

• HB 659 passed Idaho House but Senate declined to hear it
• Idaho Sheriffs’ Association opposed all three attempts, citing costs and unfunded mandates
• Sheriffs also slammed “D.C. pressure” to resurrect the bill after initial defeats
• Final attempt died in Idaho Senate on April 2, 2026

Dairy/Agriculture Workforce Crisis

Idaho’s dairy industry would face catastrophic losses from mass deportation enforcement:

• 90% of dairy workers are foreign-born; estimated 50% undocumented
• $5.1 billion projected loss in gross state product (4% of Idaho total)
• 45% drop in dairy output; 22.5% drop in agriculture broadly
• 29,000 undocumented workers + 27,000 dependent jobs at risk
• $400 million reduction in state revenue
• Economist Tim Nadreau: losses would trigger “an economic downturn similar to the 2007-2010 recession”

As of early 2025, Idaho agriculture had not experienced direct worksite raids, but targeted enforcement and community fear were already disrupting operations.

Cross-State Transfer Pattern

Idaho detainees are routinely transferred out of state for detention:

• Las Vegas, NV — Primary destination for southern Idaho detainees (9+ hour drive)
• Tacoma, WA — Northwest Detention Center receives transfers from Kootenai County
• Wyoming and Utah — Also used as holding destinations
• Attorney access has been severely impaired; federal judge found “arrest quota of 3,000/day” driving mass detention

Sources

• ICE arrests and detentions rise steeply in Idaho — Idaho Capital Sun (Aug 2025)
• 287(g) Agreements in Idaho — ACLU of Idaho
• Idaho House passes bill to require 287(g) — Idaho Capital Sun (Mar 2026)
• Third attempt to mandate 287(g) dies in Senate — Idaho Capital Sun (Apr 2026)
• Idaho State Police partners with ICE — Idaho Capital Sun (Jun 2025)
• Idaho industries warn of severe impact — Boise State Public Radio (Feb 2026)
• Trump’s immigration crackdown rattles Idaho dairies — Idaho Business Review (May 2025)
• Idaho immigrants detained far from home — InvestigateWest
• Southeast Idaho sheriff signs up to help ICE — InvestigateWest (Apr 2026)
• State of Idaho to assist ICE — Governor’s Office (Jun 2025)
• This Idaho sheriff fought against mandatory ICE cooperation. Now he’s signing up — Spokesman-Review (May 22, 2026)
• Idaho State Police transport 30 more immigrants from prison to ICE for deportation — Idaho Capital Sun / News From The States (May 26, 2026)
• Idaho House passes E-Verify bill (HB 704) — KIVI