Two years after Whitewater leaders asked federal officials to help them respond to an influx of migrants – thrusting the city into a political debate – they finally got the funding they wanted.
Tucked the latest federal government spending bill is an $85,000 earmark for an immigration liaison, a position that will build relationships with newcomers, connect them to resources, educate them on local laws and provide bilingual support, among other roles.
In his request for funding from Congress, Whitewater Police Chief Dan Meyer wrote the position would “give us the ability to focus resources, deliver what our immigrant population needs, and ultimately build the trust that is needed to ensure they are successful here long term.”
There are a few more administrative boxes to check, Meyer told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, before the city receives the funds and can post the position for interested candidates. Officials haven’t determined whether the role will be housed within city government or the Whitewater Police Department.
“Initially, the goal was to have some separation from the police department to bridge the trust gap that tends to exist,” Meyer wrote in an email to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Marjorie Stoneman said she and other members of the Immigrant Support Coalition have met with Meyer regularly as he gathers input from the community about the greatest needs the position can fill.
“Our city is working is working hard to try to integrate – people have taken Spanish classes, they’re working hard to build relationships within the community,” Stoneman said. “This position will help expand that even more.”
She’s researched other cities with similar liaison roles to find models for Whitewater. San Antonio, St. Louis and Chicago are among the cities with dedicated offices that connect immigrants and refugees to resources.
Dane County launched an Immigration Affairs Office in 2017 to respond to a growing immigrant community with “complex situations and language needs” that went beyond existing resources, according to its website.
But the Whitewater role could be the first of its kind at the city level in Wisconsin. If successful, Meyer said the goal is to eventually support the position with local funds.
“Our goal is to see the immigrant population that plans to stay here do so legally and in a way that allows them to be productive members of society,” he wrote.
Whitewater immigration liaison position was included in latest federal spending bill
Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin worked closely with Whitewater officials to include the funding, her office said. She first met with Meyer two years ago and asked President Joe Biden to approve immediate funds.
Baldwin’s office said she secured support for the role in last year’s funding process, but Republicans passed a continuing resolution that left out earmarks for local projects.
Not every member of Wisconsin’s delegation in Congress supports earmarks, also known as congressionally directed spending. Earmarks funnel millions to local projects like a new Green Bay Metro Fire Department station.
“When Whitewater said they needed help, I didn’t just use our neighbors as a talking point. I showed up, I listened, and I delivered for them,” Baldwin said in a statement.
Baldwin’s office said U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, a Republican who represents part of Whitewater, wasn’t part of the process to include the liaison position in the bill. Fitzgerald did secure funds for transportation projects.
A spokesperson for Fitzgerald didn’t respond to a request for comment by deadline. U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, who represents the other half of Whitewater, also didn’t respond.
“This collaboration stemmed from letters that were sent to all local, state and federal politicians representing Whitewater. Sen. Baldwin’s office staff were very responsive and willing to assist,” Meyer said.
Whitewater first asked for funding two years ago
Meyer first sent a letter to Biden and other officials in January 2024, writing that police resources were strained – including from an increase in unlicensed drivers – after the arrival of some 1,000 immigrants since 2022.
He sought funding for additional staff, including an immigrant liaison position to be the first point of contact for migrants.
“None of this information is shared as a means of denigrating or vilifying this group of people,” Meyer wrote at the time. “We see great value in the increasing diversity that this group brings to our community. We simply need to ensure that we can continue to properly serve this group.”
The letter pulled Whitewater, a city of about 15,000 people, into the center of national debates over immigration. New migrants, mostly from Nicaragua, have sought jobs on farms and factories or followed relatives to Whitewater.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel visited Whitewater twice, first in the immediate aftermath of the letter and one year later when incorrect rumors swirled that U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement was conducting raids there.
Asked how he would respond if ICE or another federal immigration agency showed up in Whitewater, Meyer said his police department “will assist any law enforcement partner if needed.”
“However, we do not take an active role in immigration enforcement as that is not our function as local law enforcement officers,” he said.
Residents and nonprofits have stepped up to help newcomers, including the Community Space, which offers free food, clothing and furniture.
When the city invited all families for a backpack giveaway in August, Stoneman and other volunteers set up a soccer game to “build relationships and make kids feel safe,” she said.
“It’s an ongoing process to reduce the fear and make people feel safe that they can reach out to their local police for help, which is what the chief wants,” she said.
Meyer, in his funding request, wrote that one of his department’s greatest challenges is building that trust.
“Many of them are fleeing countries where the government, and law enforcement specifically, cannot be trusted,” he wrote. “This creates a wall between this new population and law enforcement and results in problems like under- and unreported crime.”
Hope Karnopp can be reached at HKarnopp@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: After 2 years, Whitewater gets funding for immigrant liaison
Reporting by Hope Karnopp, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
