Stolley clears the air on working with federal agencies

By Boundary County Sheriff Travis Stolley

As the elected Sheriff of Boundary County, my sworn duty is to safeguard the people who live, work and raise families in Boundary County. That responsibility includes upholding Idaho law and maintaining practical, lawful partnerships with our federal agencies — such as DHS and ICE — whenever public safety is at stake.

Let’s set the record straight right now: anyone claiming that the Boundary County Sheriff’s Office or any Sheriff’s Office in Idaho, refuses to work with ICE or ignores immigration matters is flat-out wrong. We routinely share booking information, grant ICE agents access to our facility for lawful interviews, and honor valid detainer requests when they comply with the law. We have also teamed up successfully with the U.S. Marshals Service on fugitive operations. These are the everyday actions that actually protect our community.

As your Sheriff, I am accountable to you when it comes to the decisions I make when working with our Federal partners.

The suggestion that sheriffs who resist being forced into a formal 287(g) agreement are somehow soft on illegal immigration is misleading and unfair. Most of us in smaller counties are already doing the core work that matters — focusing on criminals who pose a real threat to our neighbors. In a county like Boundary, where one deputy covers around 1,200 square miles, we prioritize violent offenders, sex offenses, human traffickers, and those who endanger public safety.

If and when we come across immigration status issues or illegal immigrants we work with our local Border Patrol partners, ICE and other federal agencies and expect them to do their job and enforce federal immigration laws. This partnership has worked and will continue to work without an unfunded state mandate forcing us to join a federal program.

I fully recognize that the 287(g) program has a legitimate role in some places, depending on an agency’s size, location, staffing, and budget. It serves a purpose and some Sheriffs in Idaho have chosen to join the program. It may even serve our community at some point. What matters is that the decision to participate — or to step back — should rest with the elected sheriff who answers directly to the citizens of his or her county, not with politicians in Boise who don’t patrol our roads or manage our aging jail.

That is exactly where my concern lies.

It is troubling to watch some in our legislature try to strip away the independence of Idaho’s sheriffs by mandating participation in a voluntary federal program. This isn’t just about today; it sets a dangerous precedent for tomorrow. If the state can force us to sign onto one federal enforcement scheme, what stops them from requiring local agencies to help enforce other federal priorities — whether it’s certain gun regulations, tax collection, or anything else? The answer should be the same: No!

Here in Boundary County we already cooperate effectively with ICE and our local Border Patrol partners on serious criminal matters without the added layers, paperwork, unfunded training mandates, and costs that a formal 287(g) agreement would bring. Forcing every sheriff into the program would create unnecessary duplication, drain scarce taxpayer dollars, and handcuff the very local discretion that allows us to tailor our efforts to the unique needs of our rugged, low-population county.

My door remains open. If you have facts, concerns, or ideas about how we can continue keeping Boundary County safe, reach out directly. I’d rather hear from you than let rumors or political talking points fill the air.

We will keep doing what we’ve always done: enforce the law fairly, protect our families and freedoms, and work with federal partners when it truly serves justice — all while guarding the constitutional authority that Idaho voters entrusted to their elected sheriffs.