Residents and nonprofits urge oversight, oppose Marathon County’s 287(g) jail agreement
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Summary
Four public-comment speakers told the Public Safety Committee they oppose the sheriff’s recently signed 287(g) jail enforcement agreement with ICE, arguing it will deter immigrants from seeking services and reporting crime and could expose the county to unreimbursed litigation costs.
Public concern about Marathon County’s newly signed 287(g) jail enforcement agreement dominated the public-comment period of the county’s Public Safety Committee meeting on Nov. 11.
Donna Ambrose, director of the Neighbors Place food pantry, told the committee that cooperation between local law enforcement and ICE creates fear in immigrant communities. “When local law enforcement works with ICE to report anyone in jail without documentation, even for the smallest offenses, it creates fear, and that fear keeps families from coming to us for food and basic needs,” Ambrose said.
Tony Gonzalez said the program “targets communities of color” and warned it could depress workforce participation and make victims and witnesses less willing to report crimes. “It’s gonna hurt public safety because immigrants would no longer feel safe reporting crimes, medical emergencies, fires, cases of domestic abuse,” Gonzalez said, urging the committee to halt adoption of the jail model.
Mark Bradley, representing OLA (Healthy Opportunities for Latin Americans), noted the sheriff’s agreement has not yet been operationalized because training has not occurred, and urged the committee to exercise oversight. Bradley recommended routine public reporting on “the types of arrests that trigger immigration checks, the number of detainer requests that are issued, the length of additional jail stays related to immigration procedures, and any reimbursements,” saying those data are necessary for the committee to evaluate whether the program meets public-safety objectives.
Mariana Savola of HOLA (Healthy Opportunities for Latin Americans) described stress and mental-health harm in Latino families and asked the committee to take the program “off the table.” “We all deserve to be in a community where we are thriving,” she said.
Committee members acknowledged the concerns and the chair invited staff and counsel to advise the committee on oversight options. Lance, county staff, told the panel he would consult court counsel after a supervisor raised questions about an ongoing lawsuit connected to the 287(g) matter.
The meeting record shows the public comment portion lasted into the committee’s regular business; no formal committee action on the 287(g) agreement is recorded in this session.