On Feb. 11, several Milwaukee Common Council members announced two new proposed initiatives: the city’s ICE Out legislative package and the Office of New Milwaukeeans.
"We are putting forth legislation to require all law enforcement interacting with our constituents to be unmasked and to display visible identification for full transparency and in an effort to deescalate fear, tensions and confusion," said District 8 Ald. JoCasta Zamarripa.
At the Common Council chamber at City Hall, a group of Milwaukeeans stood behind her. Many held signs and wore pins that read “ICE Out.”
The proposal Zamarripa touted is one of the ways local leaders and officials are preparing for a potential influx of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in the city.
In addition to requiring that all law enforcement officers be unmasked, the legislative package would prohibit ICE operations at county and city properties like parks and libraries.
District 3 Ald. Alex Brower said communities are angry, scared and prepared to demonstrate against ICE.
Brower recently hosted a packed town hall about ICE. People attending that event voiced uncertainty about how local law enforcement would keep citizens safe during ICE operations and protests. At City Hall Wednesday, Brower addressed those concerns.
"We demand that the Milwaukee Police Department do their job and protect the rights of every single person, and part of our legislation will be calling on them to do that as well," he said.
District 14 Ald. Marina Dimitrijevic announced the proposed Office of New Milwaukeeans. She introduced herself as a daughter of an immigrant and the wife of an immigrant.
"I stand here today to talk about something we can say yes to," Dimitrijevic said. "You heard a lot of what we’re willing to say no to. We’re going to set the standards high in the city of Milwaukee, the largest city in the state of Wisconsin, that is built on our diversity. It is our strength."
Dimitrijevic said that supporting and welcoming immigrants is the path to growing Milwaukee’s population and fostering the economy.
The proposals need to be approved by the Common Council. In an email, Brower explained that Mayor Cavalier Johnson would need to approve both new initiatives.
"All legislation — resolutions, ordinances, etc. — needs a mayoral signature to become law — except for 'motions' of the Common Council," Brower wrote.
He added that some of the legislation includes changes to the Milwaukee Police Department's Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
"Changing an MPD SOP requires a two-thirds majority of the Council and is conducted by a 'motion' and therefore does not need the Mayor's signature," Brower wrote.
For the ICE Out initiative, Milwaukee officials will assign a file number to each piece of legislation. That legislation would then be presented to an appropriate committee with opportunities for public comment at future meetings.
A Feb. 25 meeting, “Safety in Numbers: Protecting Our Historically Immigrant South Side,” will take place at 5:30 p.m. at Alverno College. Guests at the event will include several Common Council and County Board members, community organizations and Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman and Milwaukee County Sheriff Denita Ball.
