Illegal Border Crossings Today:

Wisconsin Senate Discusses Anti-Sanctuary Legislation

madison wisconsin

Last week, Wisconsin state Senator Stephen Nass (R-Whitewater) chaired a hearing in the Committee on Labor and Regulatory Reform on Wisconsin Senate Bill (SB) 275, the anti-sanctuary legislation he introduced. A companion bill passed the Assembly but did not receive consideration by the Senate previously because of the level of protest that took place at the state Capital. (U.S. News and World Reports, Oct. 12, 2017) Employing the same tactics they used before at other hearings, open borders advocate groups, like Voces de la Frontera, bused in hundreds of protesters for this hearing. (Id.)

Specifically, SB 275 prohibits local entities from adopting, enforcing, or endorsing policies that prohibit or materially limit the enforcement of immigration laws. (SB 275) It also requires local entities to comply with detainers that allow law enforcement officers to hold a suspect under arrest for 48-hours at the request of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) (Id.)

If local entities do not comply with the law, SB 275 directs the department of revenue to withhold monies to those localities, ranging from  $500-5000, depending on the size of the  population, for each day of non-compliance. (Id.) Additionally, if an illegal alien shielded by a locality injures an individual or his property, that jurisdiction will be liable for the damages. (Id.)

“Cooperation between federal, state, and local governments is the cornerstone of effective immigration enforcement,” according to FAIR’s Executive Director Bob Dane. (See FAIR’s Letter of Support, Oct. 6, 2017) He continued, “State and local law enforcement officers are often the last line of defense against criminal aliens, and are far more likely to encounter illegal aliens during routine job activities than are federal agents.” (Id.)

Senator Nass said, “I happen to think it’s wrong to protect illegal aliens who have brought harm to our friends, our neighbors, our families, who have killed, who have raped, who have robbed, who are drug dealers … I don’t want those people protected. That’s why the sanctuary city bill says you have to follow the law.” (The Cap Times, Oct. 12, 2017)

Governor Scott Walker has yet not taken a position on the legislation.

Click here to read Field Director Susan Tully’s testimony at the hearing.