Madison’s mayor says his city will not use its police department as “a tool to enforce federal immigration laws,” even if that stance threatens federal funding.
President Donald Trump signed an order Wednesday withholding Justice Department and Homeland Security funds from so-called “sanctuary cities,” or jurisdictions that bar local officials from communicating with federal authorities about someone’s immigration status.
“The City of Madison will not waver in its efforts to protect the rights of everyone within our jurisdiction, regardless of status, while we maintain the core values of the Madison Police Department,” Madison mayor Paul Soglin said. “The Constitutional principle is very simple: we are not employees or agents of the federal government, particularly Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”
Madison police Chief Mike Koval said his officers never inquire about immigration status. Dane County Sheriff’s deputies ask about status when people are booked into jail and notify federal officials.
“Leading up the election, the apprehension was really palpable,” Koval said, referring to the sentiment among callers to his monthly radio show on the Spanish-language station La Movida. “As we go on next month, I can only imagine the kind of hysteria that will be involved in those calls. I literally was asked, ‘I have five outstanding parking tickets. I’m working very hard to pay them. Will you be at my door to deport me?’ We have so galvanized people into fear and apprehension that it has now come to this. Owing to the open-endedmess of these executive orders, we have now engendered turmoil that cuts across so many lines.”
Soglin said the city will continue to comply with legal federal detainer requests. But he maintains nothing states the city must detain immigrants as a condition for receiving funds and city police won’t enforce federal immigration laws.
“Nowhere in our agreements with the federal government housing, transportation, health, economic development or public safety does it state as a recipient of federal funds that we agree to unconstitutionally detain individuals,” Soglin said.
Madison received roughly $30 million in federal funding last year. Soglin said it’s not clear how the Trump administration will decide which cities it will go after, but he thinks the Immigration and Customs Enforcement will create some guidelines.
“Denying federal funds to cities that aim to build trusting and supportive relations with immigration communities is misguided, wrong and unconstitutional,” Soglin said.
Soglin said he suspects California will initiate litigation against the legality of the executive order, and that Madison will likely join that fight.
A sheriff’s spokeswoman said the department hasn’t discussed any changes.
Channel3000 contributed to this report.
