MADISON – U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan said he trusts local law enforcement to handle a heightened presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement should the agency increase its efforts in Wisconsin.
The Democratic congressman, who represents the state’s capital city and the surrounding south-central area, told reporters the number one subject triggering calls to his office last week was concerns with ICE activity following the Jan. 7 fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an agent in Minneapolis and the ensuing fallout.
“Should they come and do what we’re seeing, certainly in Minneapolis but other places, we are prepared to fight like hell as we need to, to protect people,” Pocan said.
“Watching actual citizens being arrested, being detained, watching what happened with the death in Minneapolis – all of those things are about as anti-American as I can imagine, and it’s really hard to see that happening. And I know this community will get together and do what we need to do to fight back.”
Pocan said he expects to see more immigration enforcement efforts in Wisconsin, pointing to the $75 billion funding increase ICE received as part of President Donald Trump’s tax and spending law last year. Overall, the “One Big Beautiful Bill” allocated $170 billion in immigration and border-related funding to be spent over four years.
In Minnesota, the Trump administration’s expanded immigration enforcement raids and officers’ aggressive tactics have stirred protests and increasing calls from local officials for ICE to leave the city.
The Department of Justice on Jan. 20 delivered subpoenas to the offices of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, among others, on allegations that they impeded the work of federal officers in the state. Walz and Frey called the move “a partisan distraction” and an effort to “intimidate local leaders.”
A federal judge in Minnesota is weighing whether to halt immigration operations after the state, Minneapolis and St. Paul filed a lawsuit accusing the federal government of violating state rights. The same judge ordered agents not to use “chilling” tactics against peaceful protesters, including tear gas and arrests. The Department of Justice appealed the order.
Asked earlier this month if ICE is welcome in Wisconsin, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers said, “I think we can handle ourselves, frankly.”
“I don’t see the need for the federal government to be coming into our state and making decisions that we can make in the state,” Evers told reporters during a Jan. 12 news conference.
Evers also questioned a proposal from Democratic Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez to ban immigration actions in public and private spaces in Wisconsin as part of her campaign for governor, suggesting it might draw unwanted pressure from the Trump administration.
“I’m not sure we have the ability to do that,” Evers said. “I think banning things will absolutely ramp up the actions of our folks in Washington, D.C. They don’t tend to approach those things appropriately,” Evers said in the news conference.
Pocan said the more involved local law enforcement is with any ICE presence, the better, in order to calm any tensions that might arise.
“I just don’t want to be the next talking point for the president by sending people here and trying to cause something,” Pocan said. “We have to have law enforcement locally heavily involved, and that’s from (Attorney General) Josh Kaul to our county sheriff and Madison police, and I hope that’s how we’re going to deal with it.”
Jessie Opoien can be reached at jessie.opoien@jrn.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Pocan calls on local authorities to protect residents if ICE arrives
Reporting by Jessie Opoien, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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