Wisconsin Lawmakers Push for Stricter Immigration Enforcement
A proposed immigration bill in the Wisconsin State Assembly and Senate is drawing support from local law enforcement officials, including Sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt of Fond du Lac County. The bill, introduced by Republican Rep. Jerry O’Connor, mandates that county sheriffs verify the legal presence of individuals in county jails facing felony charges and comply with detainer requests from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Key Provisions of the Bill
The bill outlines strict guidelines for county jails, requiring sheriffs to document the legal presence of individuals arrested for felony offenses and to comply with federal detainers and administrative warrants. Noncompliance would result in a 15% reduction in the county’s shared revenue payments for the following year. Additionally, sheriffs would be required to maintain records on those found to be unlawfully present, including details on the crimes they were charged with. The Department of Justice would compile this data and submit it to the state legislature.
Sheriff Waldschmidt’s Support for the Bill
Fond du Lac County Sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt, who met with Rep. O’Connor after the bill’s introduction, emphasized that his department already cooperates with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and compiles relevant data. He dismissed concerns about losing shared revenue for noncompliance, explaining that Fond du Lac County is already in line with the proposed requirements. He pointed to the severity of crimes committed by illegal immigrants currently held in his jail, including intentional homicide, substantial battery, reckless injury, child sexual assault, child enticement, and trafficking.
Gov. Evers and Dane County Reject the Bill
Despite support from law enforcement officials like Sheriff Waldschmidt, the bill faces resistance from Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who has been a vocal critic of federal immigration enforcement policies. Evers dismissed the idea of a statewide mandate, arguing that counties should decide their own policies on cooperating with ICE. “I think that’s a decision to be made county-by-county. Sheriffs are public officials who run for election. They should be able to make those choices,” Evers said. He has indicated that he would veto the bill should it pass the Legislature.
Resistance is particularly strong in Dane County, where officials recently announced they would cut ties with the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP), a federal initiative that reimburses counties for detaining undocumented immigrants convicted of felonies or multiple misdemeanors. Dane County officials argue that local law enforcement should not be responsible for immigration enforcement, with County Executive Melissa Agard stating, “The sheriff is an elected official. I think what we heard is that this program doesn’t match how it is that people in Dane County want their government working for them.”
Republican Lawmakers Warn of Consequences for Noncompliance
Both Dane and Milwaukee Counties have policies in place preventing local jails from holding individuals solely on immigration detainers, a stance that has drawn criticism from co-sponsor Sen. Julian Bradley, R-New Berlin. “We know from recent media that there are sheriffs in our state that are not interested in complying with federal law,” Bradley said. “Our message to them is, ‘Do not put your personal politics above the safety of the citizens who elected you.’”
Supporters of the bill argue that it strengthens public safety by ensuring that individuals in the country illegally who commit crimes are identified and reported to federal authorities. In neighboring counties, officials have reported significant costs associated with detaining illegal immigrants, including a recent case where a sheriff’s office spent approximately $20,000 on healthcare expenses for a detained individual before transferring them to ICE.
Debate Over Immigration Policy
Opponents of the bill contend that it could lead to strained relationships between local law enforcement and immigrant communities, potentially discouraging crime reporting and cooperation. However, for sheriffs like Waldschmidt, the focus remains on enforcing existing laws and ensuring that dangerous individuals do not remain in the community unlawfully.
