Idaho State Police Transfer 30 More Convicted Immigrants to ICE, Bringing Total to 83
Why It Matters
Idaho taxpayers and communities have a direct stake in how the state handles illegal immigrants who have committed crimes on Idaho soil. The latest round of transfers — all but one confirmed to involve individuals with criminal convictions — represents a continuation of Governor Brad Little’s effort to remove convicted criminal illegal immigrants from Idaho rather than releasing them back into communities after serving prison time.
What Happened
The Idaho Governor’s Office announced on May 18 that Idaho State Police had transferred an additional 30 individuals from state correctional facilities to federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation processing. The latest batch brings the total number of transfers under the state-federal partnership to 83 since Governor Little announced the program last June.
The arrangement was established through a formal agreement between Idaho State Police and ICE, with Little’s office stating the intent was to remove “dangerous illegal alien criminals out of county jails after the completion of their sentences instead of being released back into Idaho communities.”
An independent review of court and corrections records confirmed that nearly all 30 individuals in the most recent group had criminal convictions and had served time in an Idaho prison before being handed over to federal authorities. One case — involving a man from Mexico with a piracy charge — could only be verified through Department of Correction records, with no court case or conviction record available.
Policy Change After Prior Concerns
The latest transfers come after earlier scrutiny raised questions about the program’s vetting process. An October review of the first 53 transports found that at least six individuals still had open or pending cases in court, and four others could not be found in court records at all.
Idaho State Police Director Col. Bill Gardiner acknowledged that his agency had not initially verified whether those being transported had actually been convicted. He attributed the lapse to a “leadership transition” within the agency. Following that review, ISP implemented a policy requiring confirmation of convictions before any transfer to ICE.
Press Secretary Joan Vargas clarified that charge and conviction data comes from a national law enforcement database covering each individual’s full criminal history. “In some cases, there may be charges listed for crimes committed in another jurisdiction,” she noted in a written statement.
By the Numbers
- 83 total individuals transferred to ICE since the program launched last June
- 30 individuals transferred in the most recent group, announced May 18
- $28,932.70 reimbursed to Idaho State Police from the governor’s emergency fund
- $300,000 authorized maximum spending from that account for the agreement
- Verified convictions in the latest group include six felony drug possession cases, three felony DUI convictions, a felony drug trafficking conviction, three aggravated assault cases, and multiple convictions involving crimes against children
Where the Deportees Are Now
Eight of the individuals transferred appear in Idaho Department of Correction records with a status of “deported.” Nine others were placed on ICE detainers, meaning federal authorities requested local law enforcement hold them pending transfer to immigration detention. Five individuals were located in ICE detention facilities — three at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Washington state and two held at separate facilities in California.
Record-keeping accuracy also drew some attention. Reviewers identified at least eight cases where names in the governor’s press release appeared to be misspelled, which may explain why a small number of records could not be independently located. This kind of coordination between state and federal agencies has been a growing trend across Idaho and the broader Mountain West as states seek to fill gaps in immigration enforcement.
What’s Next
The governor’s office has not announced a cap on the total number of transfers planned under the program. With roughly $271,000 remaining in the authorized emergency fund budget for the agreement, the partnership between Idaho State Police and ICE appears positioned to continue. Oversight of the program’s conviction-verification policy will likely remain a point of public interest as additional transfer lists are released.
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