SALT LAKE CITY— As federal authorities ramp up operations in Chicago and other cities to detain illegal immigrants, a Utah Department of Public Safety official says the agency’s involvement in such initiative here would be limited to suspected criminals.
The agency’s focus in collaborating with federal investigators, as stated by Gov. Spencer Cox late last November, is “on anybody with criminal activity,” according to department spokesperson Hillary Koellner. If State Bureau of Investigations officials detain alleged drug dealers “distributing high amounts of drugs” and discover they are here illegally, she said, “we’re obviously going to contact (Immigrations and Customs Enforcement), but first we’re going to arrest them just like any other person.”
She added that Utah Highway Patrol personnel will not conduct checks to determine people’s migratory status. Similarly, Utah law enforcement officials, she noted, are not permitted to conduct arrests for federal immigration violations. “They would have to be arrested for something else, whether they have an arrest warrant or they committed a crime that would require us arresting them,” according to her.
In any case, as federal immigration officials have increased attempts to arrest illegal immigrants in accordance with President Donald Trump’s focus on the subject, some members of Utah’s immigrant population have expressed concern on social media.
Trump, who took office on January 20, has promised to deport illegal immigrants, particularly those with criminal records. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement representative did not respond to a request for information about ICE activity in Utah on Monday. Despite any concerns, speculations, and claims, there does not appear to be significant enforcement action in the state.
According to Cynthia Ponce-Orellana of Comunidades Unidas, an immigrant advocacy group based in West Valley City, “we have heard many reports of ICE agents around the county but no confirmed raid thus far, and all of the sightings that have been reported have yet to be confirmed.” She is an organizer for the organization.
Koellner issued a cautionary statement in response to unverified reports of acts involving immigration agents in Utah. “Definitely there’s a lot of misinformation that we’re seeing,” she told us. “Make sure you’re verifying who your sources are and (know) that our police forces, they’re after people who are a harm to public safety.”
A few social media users have reported occurrences in Salt Lake County that reportedly involved federal immigration officials. A website that posts information about “verified sightings” cites approximately ten purported encounters, the majority of which occurred in Salt Lake County. Some have images or recordings, including two of people dressed as “Police ICE.”
Native American leaders in Utah and surrounding areas have taken note of the issue. The Ute Indian Tribe issued a notification on Saturday, asking tribal members to carry identification and to remain cool if challenged by ICE authorities.
“The Ute Indian Tribe Business Committee is releasing this notification to address concerns about potential interactions with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials. We prioritize the safety of all of our members. “We will aggressively defend our rights and interests,” the warning states. Ute officials did not respond to requests for additional information.
Similarly, leaders of the Navajo Nation, which borders Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona, made statements late last week citing instances of purported contacts between ICE personnel and Navajo civilians. Like Ute officials, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren recommended tribal members to carry identification cards. “Having your state ID is crucial, and if you possess a CIB (Certificate of Indian Blood), it can provide an additional layer of reassurance,” according to his statement.
However, as of last Friday, there were no confirmed examples of contacts between Navajo civilians and immigration officers, according to George Hardeen, Nygren’s spokesman. Similarly, the website of Operation Rainbow Bridge, which is entrusted with responding to Navajo Nation individuals’ inquiries about the matter, stated that no reports of events had been confirmed.
The ICE X account and newsroom are among the few government sites that provide information about the United States’ efforts to crack down on illegal immigrants. According to an X post on Sunday, 956 people were detained as part of ICE actions across the country, and immigration officials requested that local law enforcement agencies temporarily hold another 554 suspected immigrants here illegally. The many blogs and ICE press releases mentioned incidents in Chicago, Denver, San Francisco, Houston, New York City, and Buffalo, New York.
“Targeted enforcement operations are planned arrests of known criminal aliens who threaten national security or public safety,” according to an ICE post from last Friday.
