Days after a Sheboygan Falls woman was released from immigration custody, the Milwaukee Common Council voted to condemn her months-long detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The council voted unanimously in support of the resolution, which highlighted Elvira Benitez-Suarez, a mother of four U.S. citizen children and a business owner. Her two extended stints in detention – and her release May 26 – have garnered attention as she represents the population without criminal records being held by ICE.
“We declare the cruel and unnecessary detention of mothers, laborers, caregivers and longtime community members who pose no danger to society to be a profound and absurd waste of taxpayer dollars,” the June 2 resolution reads.
Benitez-Suarez has lived in the U.S. for 36 years after she fled domestic violence in Mexico at age 15 with her younger sister. She owns a painting and cleaning business and has no criminal record.
Benitez-Suarez was in attendance at the meeting, and Ald. Alex Brower invited her to stand and be recognized. People in the chamber gave her a round of applause. Brower lauded her for speaking out when others may be too afraid to do so.
Ald. JoCasta Zamarripa called her detention “outrageous and unacceptable.”
“Trump made a campaign promise that he would only deport the criminals. This is proof-positive that he sees this amazing woman, this pillar of her community, Elvira Benitez, as a criminal,” Zamarripa said.
Zamarripa and Brower joined Benitez-Suarez at an ICE check-in appointment June 1. ICE staff added an electronic monitoring app to her phone, and she has another appointment set for August.
“You fought and you advocated for yourself and for your freedom. Your fight will make it easier for the next immigrant family who is fighting for their own lives right now,” Zamarripa said, addressing Benitez-Suarez during the council meeting.
Brower and Zamarripa have been among several council members speaking out on immigration issues and sponsoring ICE-related measures in recent months.
The Milwaukee Common Council previously observed 14 minutes of silence in honor of Milwaukee Public Schools teacher’s aide Yessenia Ruano, who lived in the U.S. for 14 years before ICE forced her to carry out her own deportation in June 2025.
Sophie Carson is a general assignment reporter who reports on religion and faith, immigrants and refugees and more. Contact her at scarson@gannett.com or 920-323-5758.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: ‘Absurd waste of taxpayer dollars’: Milwaukee Council condemns woman’s detention
Reporting by Sophie Carson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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