Idaho County Probation Officers Share Foreign-Born List With Federal Immigration Authorities

Probation officers in southwestern Idaho’s Canyon County have been systematically identifying and sharing information about foreign-born individuals under their supervision with federal immigration authorities, according to communications reviewed by InvestigateWest. Between May and July 2026, more than 140 emails document coordination between county probation staff and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at the Boise office, including the creation of lists handed directly to ICE for enforcement action.

The compiled list identified individuals based solely on country of birth, without independent verification of their legal immigration status. One probation officer acknowledged submitting names of everyone in his caseload who reported being born outside the United States. Foreign birth alone does not establish unlawful presence; many foreign-born individuals are naturalized citizens or lawful permanent residents legally entitled to remain in the country.

In specific cases documented in the emails, probation officers notified ICE agents of appointment times for foreign-born probationers, effectively coordinating detention efforts at office check-ins. Senior probation officer Norma Naranjo alerted six ICE agents in May that a probationer would arrive at 7:30 a.m., then followed up the next day asking whether agents were en route to the appointment. The heavily redacted records prevent clear confirmation of whether ICE made arrests during these coordinated visits.

Canyon County Probation Director Jeff Breach acknowledged requesting staff to identify individuals believed to be in the country illegally but stated the department was simply fulfilling ICE’s requests. He characterized the arrangement as standard law enforcement cooperation and contended that determining legal status falls within federal authority’s jurisdiction rather than the county’s responsibility.

Immigration attorneys and civil rights advocates expressed serious concerns about the practice. Nikki Ramirez-Smith, an immigration attorney based in Nampa, characterized the foreign-born list initiative as an invasion of privacy that inappropriately targets individuals based on birthplace rather than confirmed illegal status. Alycia Moss, another immigration attorney, warned that ICE agents may target people with valid legal status if they have certain criminal convictions, even when deportation is legally improper.

The probation department’s data showed more than half of listed individuals were on probation for driving under the influence, with five for drug-related offenses and nine for disturbing the peace. Only seven people on the list had existing ICE holds indicating prior federal identification for potential deportation. In some instances, probation officers also provided ICE with home addresses and vehicle descriptions of probationers.

Canyon County has a documented history of immigration-related controversies. In 2019, the Sheriff’s Office directed staff to report all foreign-born inmates to immigration officials upon booking, resulting in alerts about U.S. citizens who had posted bond. That year the county faced three lawsuits from individuals allegedly held illegally despite posting bail, and settled at least one case for $13,000.

The Sheriff’s Office currently faces an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit alleging racial profiling and unlawful detention of Latino attendees during an October 2025 ICE operation at a horse-racing venue. County officials did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment on the probation list practices.