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Madison city leaders were surprised Friday after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested six people without formal warning.
During a news conference Friday, Madison Mayor Paul Soglin said the arrests were made against city policy.
Madison Police Chief Mike Koval said during the press conference that the department has a working relationship with ICE, however, Friday the federal agency did not follow protocol. Koval said that ICE has agreed to call the assistant police chief before making arrests in Madison, but Friday officials called the Dane County Communications Center instead.
“We’re very disappointed in how ICE and the federal government are conducting themselves and we are making our best effort to work with community leaders and to make sure the rights of those individuals in ICE’s custody are fully protected,” Soglin said.
The arrests made by ICE were targeted, according to city officials. Koval said the arrests were made at separate workplaces and are not considered to be part of a raid.
“It’s disappointing that they did it on a Friday,” Soglin said. “It’s disappointing that they did it at all.”
Soglin said city officials do not know where the people who were arrested are being detained, but that it could be any number of places in Wisconsin or Illinois. Soglin added ICE has told city officials that the people who were arrested are believed to have committed serious crimes, but that he does not know the specifics of the investigation.
Koval said the Madison Police Department is cooperating with ICE in the investigation.
City officials have provided a phone number for people who are encountering ICE and have questions about legal defense. That number is 608-242-6260.
The Madison Metropolitan School District is also providing resources for immigrant students and families on the district website.
Soglin said city officials intend to host another press conference in the coming days about the arrests.
City of Madison officials would also like to share this information with the Spanish-speaking community:
Por este medio hacemos de su conocimiento que ICE (inmigracion) se encuentra en el area de Madison realizando arrestos a personas que tienen identificadas en una lista y que posiblemente enfrentan orden de deportacion, o tienen record criminal. Se les pide que por favor tengan precaucion hoy y en los proximos días. Estamos trabajando y ofreciendo recursos y promoviendo planes de emergencia en nuestra Comunidad Latina. Si algun miembro de su familia es contactado por ICE por favor llamen a Fabiola Hamdan al 608-242-6260.
