The first time I mentioned Theo Wold on this publication was back in November 2022, shortly after his appointment as solicitor general:
Unlike so many Republican leaders, Wold understands what time it is, that we are at a precarious moment in the life cycle of the American Republic, and he understands that we need creative solutions to modern problems. I am thrilled that he and his wife (a distinguished lawyer in her own right!) have chosen to make Idaho their home.
Much has changed in the past two and a half years. The MAGA movement, seemingly defeated by lockdowns, mail-in ballots, and the crushing disappointment of the 2022 midterms, has come back with a vengeance. President Trump has moved quickly in his second term to accomplish what he was unable to do in his first, in large part by following the playbook of men such as Theo Wold.
The message Wold brought to Capitol Clarity this afternoon was one of urgency. Trump’s reelection and revolutionary assault on the deep state bureaucracy has given us unprecedented room to act in our own state. This moment, however, like all such times, will be fleeting. If we don’t take advantage of it now, it will pass us by, and we will lose a golden opportunity to accomplish great things.
Consider immigration. Donald Trump swept back into the White House partly on a national desire to address the problem of mass migration, both legal and illegal. Yet executive orders can only do so much, and Congress moves slowly. Now is the time for Idaho to step up, but unfortunately our lawmakers have dropped the ball.
At Capitol Clarity, Theo Wold shared several ideas for bills that he had worked with legislators to introduce. One would request all county sheriffs to engage with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for 287g agreements regarding criminal aliens. Another would track how many illegal aliens and children of illegal aliens are currently in our prisons and public school system. However, of the few bills that even received print hearings, none made it to the floor.
E-Verify is another piece of low-hanging fruit that Idaho could tackle. House Bill 252, introduced back in February, would require Idaho businesses to verify the citizenship or guest worker status of all employees. Right now, it’s illegal for employers to hire illegal aliens, however there is little enforcement in practice. The lobbyist for the Idaho Dairymen’s Association estimated that as many as 70% of their employees were potentially here illegally:
Requiring businesses to use E-Verify in the hiring process would bring this number down significantly. Not only would that be a victory for the rule of law, it would protect business owners from the ramifications of hiring illegal aliens. Yet the dairy and agricultural industries, which unfortunately rely on foreign labor, are fighting back against this requirement. The only conclusion to draw is that they want to protect the supply of illegal alien labor.
The left-wing outlet InvestigateWest published a story this week about the plight of one such business owner, Rep. Stephanie Mickelsen, whose farm was raided by ICE and an illegal alien employee arrested. Rather than recognizing the need to follow immigration law, Mickelsen placed the blame on activists who sent ICE the tip said the issue was being used to bully businesses and political opponents.
Rep. Mickelsen sits on the House State Affairs Committee, which has thus far not given H252 a hearing.
We are living through a truly revolutionary time in American politics. Things that seemed impossible a year ago can be done now, but only if we move quickly. We have a chance to save our state from going down the path of California and Colorado, but we must strike while the iron is hot.
It’s not just immigration. We have the opportunity to take drastic steps to rein in the size and scope of government, slash spending and return even more money to the taxpayer, rethink the very structure of our government, reform the judiciary system, and more. Why did Defend the Guard not even get a hearing this year? Why has the only movement on DOGE in Idaho been a bill to create a committee? Why is spending still going up even after a 55% increase in just four years?
This has been a pretty good legislative session on the whole, but there are a few big issues regarding which our lawmakers could be doing so much more. A lot can change in a year. What will America look like when our legislators return to the Capitol in January 2026? Will we look back on 2025 as a missed opportunity?
Theo Wold forcefully addressed all of these issues and more at Capitol Clarity today. Watch his entire presentation here:
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About Brian Almon
Brian Almon is the Editor of the Gem State Chronicle. He also serves as Chairman of the District 14 Republican Party and is a trustee of the Eagle Public Library Board. He lives with his wife and five children in Eagle.
