A longtime Canyon County activist and former chair of the Idaho Human Rights Commission has been removed from her post effective immediately and will not be considered for reappointment to the seat.
Far-right activists on social media recently brought attention to Estella Zamora’s social media posts urging the withdrawal of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers from Minneapolis.
Those posts include sharing information about protests against ICE, as well as one AI image from April 2025 of a man with a sign saying, “If gang affiliation is illegal, why isn’t every Proud Boy and Klan member sent to El Salvador?” referring to the Trump administration’s spate of deportations to brutal prisons in that country.
Gov. Brad Little’s letter announcing the move to the Senate offered no clues as to why he made the decision to withdraw Zamora’s nomination.
She doesn’t have an answer, either.
Zamora said no one from the governor’s office contacted her about the decision to nix her reappointment bid on Monday.
“The governor knows me well. I have been active in this community almost my entire life, and for him not to have allowed me the courtesy and give me a call or, you know, even email me anything, I think that is what is the most frustrating to me,” Zamora said.
She said she’s disappointed she didn’t get to explain her views on the Trump administration’s illegal immigration crackdown that Little has largely embraced.
Zamora said she understands the need to enforce immigration laws.
“My opposition is that process and what they are doing. …we've had several people killed, you know, during these raids or whatever it is, these protests. There's no reason for ICE to be going to that extreme.”
Questions sent to the governor’s press secretary weren’t immediately returned.
Zamora first took her seat on the Idaho Human Rights Commission in the 90s after being appointed by then-Gov. Cecil Andrus (D). Republican governors have continued to reappoint her ever since.
The commission handles discrimination complaints related to employment, housing and public accommodations. It can also mediate resolutions between the two sides to avoid litigation.
Zamora's initial hearing before the Senate State Affairs Committee on Jan. 28 garnered few questions from members who largely serve in leadership roles.
“Your background certainly lends itself to offering a unique perspective on this commission,” said Sen. Jim Guthrie (R-McCammon), who chairs the committee. She had spoken about her lengthy experience working within the community and being born to a family of migrant farm workers.
But Zamora’s recent Facebook posts are clear disqualifiers in the minds of those who publicized them.
“We should draw a line and say, ‘Somebody with these views should not be in this government position,’” said Brian Almon last week during an episode of Idaho Signal, an online webshow.
Almon has worked for many far-right organizations and candidates, including the Idaho Freedom Foundation, and currently handles communications and social media for the Idaho State Republican Party.
“You cannot reappoint this pro-illegal immigration, anti-ICE activist to this human rights commission. It’s atrocious,” said the show’s host, Matt Walsh.
Walsh heads Citizens Alliance of Idaho, a political action committee funded almost entirely by out-of-state, wealthy donors that’s greatly influenced Idaho’s primary elections in recent years.
Zamora said she learned of the pushback from both men shortly after their webcast and notified her liaison with the governor’s office of the potential for controversy.
In an email to her, she said the executive director of the human rights commission said the governor could withdraw her nomination or she could put it to a committee vote.
Zamora wanted to risk the vote, but she never got the chance.
“Not. Going. To. Happen. This appointment will not move forward in the Idaho Senate,” Senate Pro Tem Kelly Anthon (R-Rupert) tweeted late Friday night.
By Monday, Little sent a short letter to the Senate saying Zamora had been relieved of her duties effective immediately and that her nomination had been withdrawn.
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