Why Canyon County Needs to Follow the Lead of Owyhee County

Some Idaho Sheriffs are fully on board with ICE. Why not ALL?

Aug 07, 2025

I recently saw this post on X:

Now, as someone who pushed a bill just a few months ago to mandate 287(g) for ALL Idaho counties, I have some thoughts…

287(g) boosts public safety by letting sheriffs like Kieran Donahue in Canyon County partner with ICE to deport criminal aliens who threaten our communities.

The idea that 287(g) advocates don't get how it works is nonsense; it's about targeted enforcement, not mass roundups, and it aligns perfectly with Donahue's mission on the NSA Border Security Committee to keep Canyon County safe.

The claim that 287(g) is just a jail-based program and "no beds equals no enforcement" misses the mark. The Jail Enforcement Model (JEM) processes aliens in custody, but 287(g) also includes the Warrant Service Officer (WSO) model, where officers serve ICE warrants with minimal detention, as ICE takes custody within 48 hours. Then there's the Task Force Model (TFM), which operates in the community, like at DUI checkpoints, without tying up jail beds. Owyhee County, with a tiny sheriff's office of 12 deputies, signed a TFM agreement in February 2025 despite limited resources, showing this IS DOABLE in Idaho!

Canyon County's jail is at 93% capacity but 287(g) can work now through WSO or TFM while Donahue fights for more space. Saying Sheriff Donahue's letting 700 plus walk free daily, including violent offenders, because there's no room, and that you need a new jail before holding for ICE, paints half the picture. A 287(g) agreement would actually help by prioritizing criminal aliens for ICE custody, freeing up beds for local offenders.

The WSO model requires just eight hours of training, lets officers execute warrants without long-term detention, and TFM focuses on field enforcement. Power and Gooding Counties are already on board with 287(g), proving it's not just about beds!

Donahue's pushing for a new jail through bonds and local option taxes. Why not add 287(g) to reduce strain now? The program targets serious criminals like human smugglers or drug dealers, not random immigrants. WSO or TFM model lets Canyon County start now, like Owyhee did, without waiting for a new jail.

The claim that it only works with jail space ignores WSO's minimal detention needs and TFM's community focus. 287(g) can process aliens already in custody (JEM) or execute warrants (WSO), reducing the jail load by transferring them to ICE which prioritizes deportations. Saying you can't hold for ICE when you can't hold for your county overlooks how 287(g) eases the burden. JEM identifies criminal aliens in jail, and ICE takes them, freeing space. WSO is even lighter; serve the warrant, ICE handles the rest. Owyhee's TFM deal shows small counties can manage. 287(g) is a tool to help, not a hurdle.

The idea that the problem is infrastructure, not enforcement, is only partly true. WSO and TFM models don't need a big facility. Enforcement can start now, as seen in Owyhee, Power, and Gooding, while Donahue pushes for a permanent fix. Deporting criminal aliens reduces jail pressure - a win-win. Yes, the program isn't free; ICE covers training, but local agencies pay salaries and detention costs. Still, the cost of inaction is higher. Donahue's flagged cartel-driven crime costing lives; 287(g) targets those players. SCAAP funds can offset detention costs, and WSO's low training requirement (eight hours) isn’t a fiscal drain.

Compared to the 5 million dollars some counties spent, Canyon County can start small with WSO or TFM. Donahue's secured ARPA funds for a new sheriff's HQ; so why not leverage similar strategies for 287(g)?

Also, the claim that Idaho's state surplus exists while state inmates clog county jails at half cost, and the public blames sheriffs, has truth, but 287(g) could be part of the fix. State inmates strain Canyon County's jail, but deporting criminal aliens via 287(g) frees up space. WSO or TFM lets him act NOW as other Idaho counties have.

Build the jail, sure, but WSO and TFM work today right now.

Get 287(g) now to keep Canyon County safe.