Resident urges Oshkosh council to adopt policy limiting local cooperation with ICE

Laura Creighton, a resident of Tyler Avenue, told the Oshkosh City Common Council on July 8 that federal immigration enforcement activities conducted without warrants or local community notice have the potential to undermine trust between residents and the local police department. Creighton urged the council to adopt a clear policy to prevent city resources — including personnel and tax dollars — from assisting operations that she characterized as operating “without transparency.”

In remarks to the council, Creighton framed her appeal as grounded in a long local history and in the city’s record of welcoming refugees. She said local officials should act preemptively to protect habeas-corpus rights and community trust in light of federal actions that, in her account, can include warrantless detention and limited transparency. She noted that Winnebago County had a memorandum of agreement with ICE and asked whether the city had a policy and, if not, whether council would commit to adopt one.

Council members thanked the speaker but did not take formal action or direct staff to draft a policy during the meeting. The matter was heard as part of the public-statements portion of the agenda; councilmembers did not indicate formal next steps during the session.

Ending: Council did not vote on or direct immediate action on the request; the item may be raised again by members or by staff in a future agenda if a councilmember requests a policy review.