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Immigrants Speak Out Against Bill Targeting ‘Sanctuary Cities’

Legislation Would Block City Bans On Police Asking Suspects About Immigration Status

By
Gilman Halsted/WPR

A bill that would bar local governments from passing ordinances to prevent police from asking crime suspects about their immigration status is facing stiff opposition from immigrants rights activists.

More than 100 people registered to speak against the bill at hearing in Madison Wednesday. Many were Latino immigrants from Milwaukee and the Fox Valley who say the bill will promote distrust between police and immigrants.

The bill’s author, Rep. John Spiros of Marshfield, said the bill doesn’t require police to ask about citizenship — it only bars cities from prohibiting them from asking the question. He said that under his plan, local police would never have to refuse to cooperate with federal authorities in deporting undocumented immigrants who commit crimes.

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“This is not an immigration bill,” he said. “It’s a bill to protect us if someone is charged with a crime.”

Madison City Council member Shiva Bidar Sielaff said the bill won’t make cities safer.

“It doesn’t matter what the letter of this law says — what you are sending is a message of fear, and we will see people not report crime any kind of crime that is going on in your backyard and in your community and creating less safety,” she said.

The bill targets the cities of Madison and Milwaukee, which Spiros said have adopted policies that discourage police from asking about immigration status. Officials from the two cities testified that they do turn over undocumented suspects to federal authorities once they’re charged with a crime.