Immigrant Advocates: Don’t Hesitate To Call Milwaukee Police For Help

Latino advocates in Milwaukee are recommending recent immigrants call city police if they need help on a criminal matter.

The advocates say uncertainty about potential deportations has been cleared up thanks to the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission last week approving the department can back away from a recent change in policy that could have led to more immigrants suspected of living in the United States illegally being reported to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Milwaukee Alderman Jose Perez said the community now shouldn’t fear contacting the police about being a victim or witness of a crime.

“We don’t want the participation to dwindle. We want them to have confidence in our system,” Perez said at a Wednesday news conference at the offices of the immigrants’ rights group Voces de la Frontera.

Perez said he’s committed to going to bat for his constituents if they’ve gotten poor service from the police or if the department isn’t following the revised reporting policy.

Mental health counselor Leslie Davis said many of her Latino patients were feeling stressed when it looked like the police would share information on the immigration status of more individuals.

But she said last week’s action should ease tensions.

“I’m very relieved to see we’ve at least restored the policy before, which was the police wanting to cooperate, wanting to keep the community safe, wanting to work with everybody,” Davis said.

Milwaukee police may be more reliable and helpful than officers located in the home countries of some immigrants, but Voces de la Frontera officials say it’s learned it will have to be “permanently vigilant” about potential changes in federal or local immigration policy.

Despite the recent change in policy, Milwaukee police still have some discretion to report an immigration status to DHS, but the officer must first contact their shift commander.