By Jasmine Hall
Jackson Hole News&Guide
Via- Wyoming News Exchange

JACKSON – Despite reservations from Gov. Mark Gordon, a bill that will require Wyoming law enforcement to invalidate driver’s licenses that other states issued to undocumented immigrants is now law.

On Friday, Gov. Mark Gordon allowed House Bill 116 to become law without his signature. It passed both chambers with two-thirds supermajorities and, had he vetoed the measure, the Wyoming Senate and House of Representatives could have overturned a gubernatorial “no” vote.

Instead, in a letter to House Speaker Chip Neiman, R-Hulett, Gordon highlighted consequences the law could have on Wyoming’s ability to protect drivers. It could also tie up law enforcement with duties better reserved for immigration officers, Gordon said.

“My hope is that Wyoming’s law enforcement resources are used to assist in illegal presence operations but not take [the] lead in determining one’s status through credentials both issued and dictated by other states’ laws,” Gordon wrote.

Gordon considered HB 116 along with 19 other bills Friday. In that session, he signed another immigration-related bill, Senate File 33, which will now require the Wyoming Department of Transportation to label documented immigrants’ driver’s licenses starting Jan. 1, 2026. “Not U.S. Citizen,” those licenses will read. The law is projected to cost $67,000 next year to update the Wyoming driver’s license issuing system and change the layout of the cards, according to a fiscal note from the Wyoming Legislative Service Office.

HB 116, which will require officials to invalidate undocumented immigrants’ licenses, was backed by the Wyoming Freedom Caucus as part of its “Five and Dime Plan.” It was deemed an “immigration accountability” bill by the caucus, and one of the last bills standing that addressed immigration enforcement. Gordon said he supported the bill’s broader aim to ensure “only the people who have the legal right to be in our country can do so.”

“Wyoming is united in our determination to secure our borders and protect both the United States and Wyoming from nefarious actions of people who are in our state and country illegally,” Gordon wrote.

But the governor worries that the proposed law would jeopardize Wyoming’s standing in the Non-Resident Violator Compact. Wyoming has been a member of the compact since 1987, along with 43 other states and Washington, D.C.

House Bill 116 directly conflicts with two parts of the compact, Gordon said.

One promotes compliance with other states’ driving laws. The other recognizes the licenses of compact states.

The reciprocity agreements enable Wyoming and other compact states to count “violations in the driver’s home jurisdiction” against their record.

“Access to these drivers databases and subsequently being able to work together with our fellow states is imperative for the safety of all those on the road,” Gordon wrote. “This law could impact Wyoming’s ability to work with other states in this fashion. I am hopeful that this legislation will not risk our membership due to invalidating another state’s credentials.”

Lawmakers raised similar questions on the floors of the House and Senate but passed the bill anyway. Like Gordon, they said they supported its larger aim: curbing illegal immigration.

Gordon also worried that, when considering the legality of driver’s licenses, Wyoming law enforcement may be slowed down while “exposed to a role that is much more suited for resources, training and system of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”

“While law enforcement may have access to ICE, the time for ICE to respond to our law enforcement may be minutes, hours or even days,” he said.Despite his reservations, Gordon allowed the bill to become law without his signature “because of the value of asserting Wyoming’s position on illegal presence.”