In a stunning reversal, Sheriff Zoerner has decided that a 287(g) agreement is now in the best interest of Kenoshans. This agreement represents a formal, systematic expansion of Sheriff Zoerner’s collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. According to information publicly available through ICE, the Kenosha County Sheriff will now be participating in the “Jail Enforcement Model,” robbing some accused of a chance to prove their innocence through a fair trial in our legal system and bolstering the deportation pipeline, which breaks up vulnerable families. This erosion of trust on the part of the Sheriff’s department will damage the capabilities of law enforcement through the fear it creates, which may discourage our immigrant neighbors from collaborating with law enforcement.
Zoerner signed the deal a mere three months after declaring, in another public release, that a 287g agreement was against the best interest of our people. As of today, this agreement was signed nearly a month ago, and, until January 13th, the Sheriff made no public notice of the decision.
Our Immigration Task Force stands squarely against this flagrant violation of our trust through this inhumane agreement, forged without transparency for the people of Kenosha.
No human is illegal.
