Dem gubernatorial candidate Sara Rodriguez says she misspoke when she said in an interview she supported ICE detainers if federal officials have an administrative warrant.
The comment in an interview with CBS 58 drew blowback from some of her Dem rivals. Rodriguez followed up the interview with a tweet saying she only supports arrests if federal officials have a judicial warrant.
A federal agency such as Homeland Security or Immigration and Customs Enforcement can issue an administrative warrant authorizing an arrest, while a court issues a judicial warrant authorizing an arrest, seizure or search.
“I misspoke, and have been very clear on this issue and my calls for Wisconsin to lead in our response to unlawful ICE activity: no arrests without a judicial warrant,” Rodriguez posted on X.
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Video of the interview was posted Friday to social media. She was asked if she believes local law enforcement should honor ICE detainers.
“Yes. If they have an administrative warrant, that somebody has been asked to leave the country because they have an order to leave and they know that they are there and they could go to that particular agency and they can take them because they know that they’re there and they’re looking for very a specific person, they’re not necessarily doing these roving patrols that we have seen across the state and Minneapolis and Minnesota,” Rodriguez said.
Dem rival Missy Hughes responded on X that ICE detained 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos in Minneapolis through an administrative warrant.
“We must be strong against ICE’s lawless impunity, and restore the Constitutional rule of law,” the former WEDC secretary and CEO wrote. “As Governor I’ll require a judicial warrant to detain anyone in a Wisconsin jail.”
State Sen. Kelda Roys, another Dem guv hopeful, added on X, “I strongly disagree. We need a governor who is willing to defend our rights and not bow to ICE’s illegitimate administrative warrants. Our law enforcement officers should only honor judicial warrants.”