Governor Mark Gordon has signed House Bill 133, a law that prohibits any Wyoming city, town, or county from declaring itself a “sanctuary” jurisdiction that limits cooperation with federal immigration authorities, Gillette News Record reports.
The law took immediate effect upon the governor’s signature on Tuesday.
The new law prevents local governments from enacting policies that stop state or local officials from reporting individuals’ immigration status to law enforcement or US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). It also bars any Wyoming jurisdiction from formally designating itself as a “sanctuary” that declines to share immigration information with federal authorities.
Initially, the bill included a felony penalty for local officials who failed to comply. However, lawmakers later removed that provision. Instead, the final version of the law allows Wyoming residents to file private legal actions to compel non-complying officials or employees to follow the law. Another provision that would have withheld state or federal funds from noncompliant cities and counties was also removed.
House Bill 133 was the final immigration-related bill Governor Gordon considered from the 2025 legislative session. He also signed another law requiring driver’s licenses for immigrants to be labeled “non-citizen.” Additionally, he allowed a separate bill—mandating Wyoming law enforcement to invalidate driver’s licenses issued by other states to undocumented immigrants—to become law without his signature.
Rep. Joel Guggenmos, a Republican freshman legislator who sponsored the bill, expressed satisfaction with its passage. He argued the law would prevent future issues related to illegal immigration in Wyoming.
“I don’t care who you are, what nationality you are, what color your skin is. If you come here illegally, it’s wrong and you shouldn’t be here.” – Rep. Joel Guggenmos
Guggenmos emphasized that the bill was not “anti-immigrant” but rather focused on illegal immigration enforcement. He claimed that support for the bill was “overwhelming,” including positive feedback from residents in Jackson.
However, the ACLU of Wyoming strongly opposed the bill. Antonio Serrano, advocacy director for the organization, argued that the measure could make immigrants feel unwelcome in Wyoming and that local governments should have the flexibility to focus on their communities’ priorities rather than immigration enforcement.
“House Bill 133 will make immigrants feel less welcome in Wyoming. We will all be better off if the legislature rejects this bill.” – Antonio Serrano, ACLU of Wyoming
While there are no designated sanctuary cities in Wyoming, law enforcement agencies will now be required to comply with the law. Teton County Sheriff Matt Carr previously stated he was not concerned about compliance, as his office already reports the immigration status of individuals held in the Teton County Jail. However, he previously received criticism for not detaining undocumented immigrants for ICE unless a judge signed a detainer request.
Sheriff Carr has since updated his department’s policy, stating that undocumented immigrants requested by ICE will now be held for up to 48 hours.
With House Bill 133 now law, Wyoming joins other states that have passed similar restrictions on sanctuary policies. While supporters argue it strengthens immigration enforcement, critics warn it could strain relationships between local law enforcement and immigrant communities.
Rep. Guggenmos has hinted that future legislation could introduce stricter penalties for non-compliance, leaving the door open for additional debates on immigration policy in Wyoming.
