MILWAUKEE, Wis. – The next portion of a legislative package aimed at addressing City of Milwaukee residents’ concerns about immigrations and customs enforcement activity takes a step forward towards adoption.
The City’s Steering and Rules committee unanimously advanced a resolution prohibiting the use of City-owned property for ICE activities March 9. The resolution’s author, 8th District Alderwoman JoCasta Zamarripa, says she’s received confirmation from City Attorney Evan Goyke’s office that the resolution is legally sound.
I did indeed make a number of changes based on [his] keen insight, and I am confident that this file is good, ready, and able to withstand any legal scrutiny,” said Zamarripa.
Property the City leases from a private owner would not be included in the resolution. This was brought up at the meeting after a volunteer at MKE Urban Stables was dismissed for telling suspected ICE agents to leave the property last year.
Two other parts of “ICE Out MKE”, while largely symbolic, declared opposition to ICE activity in the US and calling on Milwaukee Police to intervene if anti-ICE protesters’ rights are violated. They each passed through the Council last week and were officially signed by Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson March 6.
Despite the signatures, the Mayor did voice some disagreements with parts of the resolution declaring formal opposition to ICE activity.
“While certain actions by leaders and frontline officers of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency are abhorrent, I do not join in calling for the abolition of immigration enforcement,” wrote Johnson.
The Mayor also noted that the adopted resolutions would not make the City of Milwaukee a so-called “sanctuary city”; last week, Goyke sent an email to Common Council members during their floor session discussing the legislation that allegedly warned their adoption could be interpreted as such a move by the President Trump administration. While representatives for Goyke declined to release a copy of the email citing attorney-client privilege, sources close to the matter indicate that was indeed what the warning was.
“Such as designation would bring on significant consequences that would harm residents all across our city – including, potentially, direct harm to the residents Sanctuary City advocates aspire to protect,” wrote Johnson.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Milwaukee Common Council introduces “ICE Out Milwaukee” legislative package
More pieces of the package will be discussed throughout the week; one ordinance creating “an office of new Milwaukeeans” will be considered by the Community and Ecomonic Development Committee March 11, while six other pieces of legislation will be looked at by the Public Health and Safety Committee March 12.
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