Wisconsin Governor Candidates Clash on Immigration Enforcement
Republican Tom Tiffany pledges to mandate sheriff cooperation with ICE, while Democrat David Crowley advocates for restrictions on federal agents.
Republican Wisconsin gubernatorial nominee Tom Tiffany has pledged to mandate cooperation between local sheriffs and federal immigration authorities, drawing a stark contrast with his Democratic opponent, David Crowley, during their general election debate.
Tiffany stated that Wisconsin law enforcement agencies should be required to honor federal immigration detainers. He argued that such coordination with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would enable authorities to apprehend and remove individuals accused of crimes who are in the country illegally while they are still being held in county jails.
"I will make sure that local, county and state law enforcement coordinate with federal law enforcement," Tiffany said during the debate hosted by WISN-TV. When asked directly if he would mandate this cooperation, Tiffany affirmed, "Yes, I believe we should. They should honor detainers."
Crowley, the Milwaukee County executive, expressed that he would not support a blanket ban on cooperation with federal immigration authorities and agreed that immigrants convicted of crimes should be deported. However, he called for restrictions on ICE operations. These include prohibiting contracts between local law enforcement and ICE, requiring judicial warrants for agents to enter jails and prisons, and preventing agents from wearing masks while on duty.
"We need to make sure that we're protecting people's civil liberties," Crowley stated.
Immigration enforcement has become a significant point of contention in Wisconsin. ICE arrests in the state surged over the summer as the Trump administration expanded its nationwide deportation efforts. Trump's immigration crackdown has increasingly led to friction with state and local governments, placing sheriffs and police departments at the center of a national debate over the extent of local authorities' involvement in federal immigration enforcement.
The issue is also surfacing in local sheriff races. Twenty county law enforcement agencies in Wisconsin currently participate in ICE's 287(g) program, which empowers designated local officers to perform specific immigration enforcement functions. Cooperation with ICE has also become a topic in the sheriff elections in Sauk and Winnebago counties ahead of the November election.
Federal data indicates a significant increase in immigration enforcement actions in Wisconsin. The latest available figures show ICE arrests in the state reaching new highs during the summer, with over 2,100 individuals apprehended between January 2025 and the most recent reporting period.
The debate over immigration enforcement is a complex issue for both parties as the midterm elections approach. Republicans are continuing to focus their campaigns on border security and immigration enforcement, while Democrats are increasingly criticizing the Trump administration's deportation tactics and the conduct of ICE agents.