Canyon County probation officers in southwestern Idaho have been compiling a list of foreign-born individuals on probation and sharing it with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The practice has drawn criticism from immigration attorneys and advocates who fear it could lead to the detention of individuals legally present in the United States.
Communications obtained by InvestigateWest reveal that from May to July 2026, more than 140 emails were exchanged between Canyon County probation officers and ICE's Boise office. These emails indicate the probation department combed through its case files to generate a list of foreign-born individuals for ICE. In one instance, a probation officer emailed ICE agents about a man scheduled for a regular check-in, asking if they were "on their way" to the appointment, though it remains unclear if the individual was taken into custody.
The list was reportedly compiled without independently verifying whether everyone identified was in the U.S. illegally. One probation officer stated that the submitted names included everyone in his files who reported being born outside the United States. Foreign birth alone does not determine immigration status, as it can include naturalized U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents.
Jeff Breach, director of Canyon County's misdemeanor probation department, stated that the list includes "individuals whose place of birth is a foreign country — and can also include individuals that have been previously flagged with an immigration hold." He added that verifying legal presence is the responsibility of federal authorities and that the probation department provides information to ICE as it would any other law enforcement agency.
Steve Cushman, director of constituent services for Canyon County, indicated that such lists have been requested and provided as far back as the Obama administration. In an email dated June 3, a probation officer informed ICE agents that the department was "working on a procedure to keep a list current for your agency."
Earlier, on June 5, Breach directed his staff to compile a list of offenders believed to be in the country illegally, as requested by ICE. However, subsequent messages suggest that at least some officers used foreign birthplace as a criterion for identification. For example, one officer reported compiling a list of "everyone in my cabinet that filled out (an) intake form and stated not born in US."
According to InvestigateWest, more than half of the individuals on the list were on probation for driving under the influence. Nine were on probation for disturbing the peace, and five for drug-related crimes. Only seven individuals had an existing ICE hold.
Probation officers routinely informed ICE of probationers' check-in dates and times. In some cases, they also provided home addresses and vehicle information for individuals, and inquired about probationers who missed appointments.
Immigration attorneys have expressed concern that this practice could ensnare individuals with legal status. Nikki Ramirez-Smith, an immigration attorney, called the county's efforts an "invasion of privacy," stating, "It’s one thing to know that someone is 'undocumented', it’s another thing to just start targeting every single person who was born in another country."
Canyon County has faced scrutiny for its cooperation with ICE in the past. In 2019, the county sheriff's office was instructed to notify immigration officials of all foreign-born inmates, including U.S. citizens who had posted bond. This led to lawsuits from individuals who claimed they were unlawfully detained due to their immigration status, with the county settling at least one case for $13,000. The sheriff's office is also currently facing a lawsuit from the ACLU of Idaho alleging racial profiling and unlawful detention during an ICE raid in October 2025.