Longtime human rights commissioner fired by governor after social media posts critical of ICE

After more than 30 years on the Idaho Human Rights Commission, Estella Zamora was terminated this week after Gov. Brad Little withdrew her re-appointment without warning.  

Her termination and Little’s withdrawal came amid a social media and conservative blogger uproar over Facebook posts Zamora made that were critical of actions by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. 

Zamora never directly received from Little’s office the reason her appointment was withdrawn, but she was aware of the online response to her posts. She said she notified Little’s office when she learned of the response to her posts.

“I’ve always thought that my position on the commission is to protect and educate regarding people’s rights,” Zamora said in a phone interview Thursday. “I’m out here protecting and making sure people are able to voice their opinions and to express themselves and do what is right. But then I’m basically muzzled, I guess, for doing the job that I was appointed to do.” 

Little’s office did not respond to multiple requests for comment for this story.

Zamora’s termination occurred within a year in which state agency and commission leaders were told to proceed with caution regarding politics. 

In early January, an email from Little’s chief of staff to agency heads directed all executive branch leaders to contact a governor’s office liaison before “committing or attending any political events (fundraisers for candidate or issues, ballot initiative events, etc.),” according to the email the Sun received via public records request. 

“This applies during and after the legislative session,” Little’s Chief of Staff Zach Hague wrote. “You are an extension of Governor Brad Little, with that comes added responsibility. You are an extension of the Governor and the office, coordination is paramount.” 

Zamora said she never saw or heard about the memo, and that it hadn’t been the message since she was first appointed to the commission by then-Gov. Cecil Andrus. She said she “couldn’t stay quiet” given some of the actions by ICE, especially in Minneapolis, where agents shot and killed two people recently. 

“It’s awful that people’s rights are being violated, right and left,” Zamora said. “And they’re grabbing people off the street. It’s not right. I can’t support that, and I can’t stay quiet.”