Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Calling for State Rules on ICE Activity 

Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez is calling on lawmakers to adopt state rules in an effort to govern Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity.

Rodriguez says Wisconsin has to be prepared for potential ICE enforcement in cities like Milwaukee and Madison. She points out the recent actions in Minnesota, Illinois, and Oregon along with reports of increased ICE activity near the Minnesota border for prompting her request.

“We should expect this could happen here,” Rodriguez says, while talking with Jamie Martinson and Brian Noonan, hosts of Civic Media Mornings.

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Listen to the full discussion here:

Rodriguez is urging legislators to require ICE agents operating in Wisconsin:

• use judicial warrants
• clearly identify themselves
• follow accountability standards similar to what is required of state and local law enforcement 

She is also calling for protections of “sensitive locations,” including schools, hospitals, churches, and courthouses.

You can read her complete call for action here.

Her comments follow reports of ICE activity near schools and hospitals in Minneapolis, including a widely reported incident near Roosevelt High School. Rodriguez says enforcement actions in those locations create fear and disrupt access to essential services.

“People should not be afraid to go to school or seek health care,” she says.

Rodriguez also raised concerns about arrests made without judicial warrants and detentions of U.S. citizens and enrolled tribal members. She says some individuals were held for days despite asserting their citizenship. Rodriguez believes Wisconsin has the authority to set standards for how federal agents operate within the state. Other states are adopting similar measures, and lawsuits have been filed in Minnesota and Illinois challenging recent enforcement actions there.

And she does acknowledge concerns that federal funding could be threatened in response. But that risk should not prevent Wisconsin from acting.

“We need to protect our communities,” she explains.

Some Wisconsin cities already limit enforcement activity in sensitive locations, but policies vary. Rodriguez calls a statewide approach the answer to providing consistent protections.

She is also encouraging residents to report and document ICE activity and to contact state and federal lawmakers. Individuals have the right to film law enforcement in public spaces.

Rodriguez, who is also a candidate for governor, believes transparency and accountability are essential to maintaining trust between law enforcement and the public.

“If we lose trust in law enforcement, it affects everyone,” Rodriguez says. “Transparency and accountability are essential.”

Rodriguez’s call for action adds Wisconsin to a growing list of states where officials are weighing stronger oversight of federal immigration enforcement as regional enforcement activity expands across the Midwest.

You can read her complete call for action here.