MADISON – Representative Jerry L. O’Connor (R-Fond du Lac) issued the following statement after Legislative Republicans unveiled their plan to cooperate with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) efforts to protect our communities by deporting dangerous criminals illegally residing in Wisconsin:
“Today, I joined my Republican colleagues in the State Assembly and Senate to introduce a bill requiring County Sheriffs to request proof of legal presence status from individuals held in a county jail for a felony offense. Specifically, this bill addresses only felony charges. If they cannot provide proof of citizenship, the bill will require sheriffs to comply with detainers and warrants received from the Department of Homeland Security, ICE, regarding individuals held in the county jail for a criminal felony offense.
Failure by any County to comply with the law will result in financial penalties from State funding.
Milwaukee and Dane Counties have already announced they will not comply with the federal law. How can any Sheriff refuse to comply with and enforce federal law? Why are they giving preference to illegal immigrant felons over protecting Wisconsin citizens? Unbelievable.
Just last week in Dodge County, an illegal immigrant, who had previously been deported under the first Trump Administration, stole a vehicle, became intoxicated, and rammed into a car with a family of five, killing one and seriously injuring two parents. How many more Wisconsinites will be raped, robbed, or killed? Our citizens want law enforcement to work for us, not the illegal felons from foreign lands.
Despite the horrible yet preventable felony crimes committed by illegal immigrants in every state in the country, Gov. Evers and Wisconsin Democrats are doubling down on their open border agenda and soft-on-crime policies, siding with violent criminals over you and your family. Before even seeing our commonsense proposal, Evers shamefully called collaborating to remove violent criminals from our communities that are here illegally ‘a non-starter.’
Once again, Gov. Evers would rather cater to his radical far-left base than keep your family safe!
Did you vote for Wisconsin counties to become sanctuaries for illegal immigrants charged with felony crimes? I hope no other counties join these first two, but illegal immigrant felons across America will know they are safe to live in these communities and endanger its residents. Citizens in those counties need to wake up and demand that their county sheriffs abide by the rule of law.
Governor Evers must protect Wisconsinites and sign our bill.
I promise you that Legislative Republicans will continue to support law enforcement to keep our communities safe. Let us stop Wisconsin from creating sanctuary counties.”