Monona police restate immigration‑assistance policy, saying department cannot hold individuals on civil immigration detainers alone

The Monona police chief briefly revisited the department's immigration‑assistance policy at the May 19 council meeting to clarify what local officers may and may not do when federal immigration officials request assistance.

The chief said the department's policy is published online (Policy 413) and summarized key points: the department may provide support services such as traffic control when requested by federal immigration officials, but officers are not authorized to hold a person solely on a federal immigration detainer unless the detainer is accompanied by a warrant, affidavit of probable cause or removal order. The chief referred to federal citations in the policy, including 8 U.S.C. § 1373 and 8 C.F.R. § 287.7, and said notification to the federal authority issuing a detainer should occur prior to any release.

‘‘No individual should be held ... solely on a federal immigration detainer under 8 CFR 287.7 unless the person has been charged with a federal crime or detainer is accompanied by a warrant, a criminal warrant, affidavit of probable cause, or removal order,’’ the chief said. The chief added the policy is limited by officer and public‑safety concerns and that most department policies are available online for public review. The statement followed council discussion about event organizers' questions regarding federal immigration officials appearing at local events.

The chief also reported routine departmental items including Memorial Day parade planning, hail damage to some city and personal vehicles and recruitment for lateral police officer positions.