Platteville pastor urges council to refuse local cooperation with ICE

At the start of the Jan. 27 meeting, Reverend Jasmine Tesdahl, pastor of Lutheran Church of Peace and a Platteville resident and Air Force Reserve chaplain major, addressed the council during public comment and urged city leaders to use any tools at their disposal to deny requests for local or county law enforcement to collaborate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or homeland security.

Tesdahl said children in her congregation have expressed fear that ICE might remove classmates or neighbors and that such operations would damage trust in local police and other government institutions. She praised the relationship between the Platteville Police Department and the community — specifically citing the school resource officer, Jared — and said that cooperation with federal immigration enforcement would betray that trust.

"I implore the city council to use any tools at your disposal to deny any requests that our city or county law enforcement be utilized to collaborate or assist federal ICE or any homeland security agencies with immigration operations," Tesdahl said. She asked the council to act in the name of hope and community and to avoid decisions that would sow fear among children and families.

The council did not take action on the request during the meeting; the comment was recorded during the public comment period and will be part of the public record for council consideration.

Next steps: The comment is in the public record; councilors may refer the matter to staff or place it on a future agenda for discussion if they choose to pursue an administrative policy on local cooperation with federal immigration authorities.