The responsibility for immigration enforcement is with the Federal government under the control of Home Land Security’s Immigration Customs Enforcement, better known as the ICE.

Documents from the Sheriff’s office reveal that the Milwaukee County Sheriff has Federal money to do work for ICE.

Sheriff’s Deputies question Latinos detained in jail for whatever reason and turn the information over to the ICE. ICE agents are then allowed to interview the people at the jail and establish a court date for deportation.

This means that people without convictions, warrants or charges face being sent out of the country. Families are split, perhaps permanently, yet reform of the unjust and broken immigration law, with a process for legalization, has been delayed for the future. Still Sheriff’s deputies spend time doing ICE work rather than County duties. If the Sheriff works for the ICE how can law enforcement expect help in the Latino community to stop violent crime and drug dealing?

Several victims of the Iced Sheriff’s policy have asked Voces New Sanctuary Program for help. A task force of community leaders has been formed to investigate the jail procedure. At first the Sheriff’s department denied any liaison with the ICE, but later documents were discovered that demonstrate the ICE-Sheriff connection.

The goal of the task force is to turn up the heat and free the Iced-Sheriff so that he can pursue his proper duties as a Milwaukee County law enforcement officer. The task force has a meeting scheduled with a committee of the County Board on the 15th of July.