CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) – If someone is arrested in Wisconsin, and it turns out they were also wanted for crime in some other state, they would not be bailed out of jail to go free. There’d be an extradition hearing, and the suspect would be sent back there to answer those charges.
Law enforcement agencies from one jurisdiction to another have basic levels of cooperation with each another.
In too many parts of Wisconsin, that’s not the case if someone is in the country illegally. Alejandro Jose Zarate, a Venezuelan gang member, was released from the Dane County jail. He bailed out and went to Prairie du Chein, where he assaulted a woman and a child.
The Dane County situation is especially egregious. Dane County and Madison have local laws making them sanctuary communities. Even if the sheriff – an elected official – wanted to cooperate with ICE, the law blocks them from doing so.
Other elected sheriffs are making a different, and correct, choice. The sheriffs in Wood and Waushara counties have signed cooperation agreements with ICE. The feds will be notified and suspects will be held if they’re on a wanted or a deportation list.
Why the difference?
Because Wood and Waushara counties are more conservative. If word got out that an illegal alien was in custody, released, and then went on to rape or kill someone. Local voters would be outraged, and that outrage would be reflected at the ballot box during the next election. These local sheriffs have decided, correctly, that they aren’t going to sacrifice their law enforcement careers to coddle people who shouldn’t be in the country in the first place.
And a policy of non-cooperation puts law enforcement lives at risk. Once a suspect is jailed, they are subdued. They can be transferred to ICE in a safe, controlled environment. But if they’re sent back on the streets, who knows if they’ve armed themselves or have surrounded themselves with other criminals. Taking a violent, illegal immigrant into custody is much more dangerous in that environment. What happens if there’s an exchange of gunfire?
Our local sheriffs have decided they’re going to give at least the same level of cooperation that they already give to law enforcement in other states. Not only is their policy correct, it’s one their local voters approve of.
Chris Conley
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