MADISON – Last week, Voces de la Frontera, represented by the ACLU of Wisconsin, filed a brief with the Wisconsin Supreme Court in Voces v. Gerber, asking the Court to reject a motion by five sheriffs to further delay proceedings in Voces’ challenge to the legality of ICE detainers.
Last month, a federal judge rejected the Sheriffs’ attempt to remove the case from the Wisconsin Supreme Court to federal courts, holding that Voces’ challenge to the legality of ICE detainers must remain under the jurisdiction of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
The sheriffs appealed that decision and are asking the Wisconsin Supreme Court to stand down and delay while their appeal is pending, a process which could take several months.
Meanwhile, ICE continues to send hundreds of these detainers to Wisconsin jails, and people throughout the state are being illegally held for days so that ICE can pick them up. That is why Voces and ACLU filed a brief last Tuesday asking the Wisconsin Supreme Court to decide the matter, noting that more than 100 detainers had been prepared by ICE for persons in these five county jails just during the period December 30, 2025 through March 10, 2026 while the sheriffs delayed and sought to keep the case in federal court.
“Our lawsuit challenging the legality of civil immigration arrests was filed nine months ago, but this matter remains unresolved because of the sheriffs’ repeated delay tactics,” said Tim Muth, Senior Staff Attorney at the ACLU of Wisconsin.
Voces’ Executive Director, Christine Neuman-Ortiz added: “Each day this case goes undecided, more immigrants are unlawfully arrested by the sheriffs who detain them based solely on ICE’s civil administrative warrants.”
A copy of the brief and the press release are available here: https://www.aclu-wi.org/press-releases/voces-de-la-frontera-aclu-of-wisconsin-ask-wisconsin-supreme-court-to-reject-attempt-of-wisconsin-sheriffs-to-further-delay-ruling-on-practice-of-honoring-ice-detainers/
