Trump Administration Issues Unconstitutional Threat to Milwaukee County Over Pro-Immigrant Stance

Donald Trump. Photo from whitehouse.gov.

MILWAUKEE, WI – On Friday afternoon, the Trump Administration sent letters to nine jurisdictions threatening to cut federal funding for state and local law enforcement unless the jurisdictions violate the constitutional rights of their residents. Voces de la Frontera issued the following response from Executive Director Christine Neumann-Ortiz:

This latest exercise in bullying is part of Trump and Jeff Sessions‘ campaign of terror against immigrant families, Muslims, African Americans, Latinxs and LGBTQ people. They are more interested in overturning decades of civil rights advances than public safety. This threatening letter is part of an effort to intidimidate Milwaukee’s elected local government to give in to Sheriff Clarke‘s efforts to implement 287g and Republican state legislators’ latest bill to force local law enforcement to act like Immigration agents. This letter provides the legal basis for Milwaukee County to join lawsuits against Trump’s unconstitutional efforts to force local government and law enforcement to serve as a tool for the federal government’s campaign of mass deportation and legal discrimination. We are proud of Milwaukee County’s an anti-discrimination resolution and Milwaukee Public Schools‘ safe haven resolution to keep ICE out of schools. On May 1, as part of a national Day without Latinxs, Immigrants & Refugees general strike, tens of thousands of people throughout Wisconsin will march in Milwaukee to stand up for our families, our neighbors, and communities in the face of attacks from Trump, Sessions, and Sheriff  Clarke.

Voces de la Frontera is a national leader in the immigrant rights and social justice movements, and the largest grassroots Latinx membership organization in Wisconsin. Led by low-wage workers, immigrants and youth, the organization has organized some of the largest marches in the country, and works to protect and expand civil rights and workers’ rights through leadership development, community organizing and empowerment. Voces de la Frontera has chapters in Milwaukee, Racine, Madison, Green Bay, Sheboygan, Manitowoc and Walworth County. Learn more about their work at www.vdlf.org.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

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