By Shereen Siewert
WAUSAU — At least three undocumented immigrants in Wausau area have been detained in a weekend immigration sweep, Wausau Pilot and Review has confirmed.
Locally, detainees were taken into custody in Wausau, Abbotsford and Colby. An immigration rights group, Voces de la Frontera, says at least 12 people have been arrested by ICE in Wisconsin, including at least nine people in the Madison area.
Madison officials say ICE had detained six immigrants without prior communication with the police department. State Rep. Chris Taylor, of Madison, says it’s alarming for ICE to be in the community without communicating with local law enforcement.
In Marathon County, ICE notified the Marathon County Sheriff’s Department before conducting their operation, according to Sheriff Scott Parks.
“They do this so local law enforcement is aware of the operation to be conducted and to have local law enforcement in the area should they need assistance,” Parks wrote, in an email to Wausau Pilot and Review. “They do not have the radio channels in their respective vehicles so this is done as an officer safety reason.”
The department provides uniformed assistance to ICE and access to a secure garage for processing, Parks said.
After the detainees were processed they were turned over to Dodge County and held in the Dodge County Jail.
“Our participation is no different than any other assist law enforcement function that we provide to any other Federal, State, or outside of Marathon County agency attempting to arrest individuals wanted for illegal actions,” Parks said. “The ICE operation was a targeted enforcement seeking individuals known to be wanted by them.”
Wausau Pilot and Review has reached out to ICE for additional information and is seeking the names, ages, countries of origin and immigration status of all local detainees. This story will be updated as information is received.
