MILWAUKEE COUNTY

Mayor Tom Barrett slams 'sanctuary city' crackdown

Mary Spicuzza

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett is condemning President Donald Trump's threat to clamp down on "sanctuary cities," saying the administration is trying to force local governments to act as "border guards."

During the City of Milwaukee's annual birthday party on Thursday night, Barrett spoke out against Trump's move to shut off federal funds for sanctuary cities — or cities that refuse to inform federal officials about undocumented immigrants in their custody — in an unusually fiery political speech.

"The federal government has failed to enact meaningful immigration reform, and we can debate for hours as to who is to blame for that. But that's the reality," Barrett said. "But to have the federal government then demand that local governments act as border guards is not within the scope, I believe, of what our relationship should be with our federal government."

Barrett, who is serving his fourth term leading Wisconsin's largest city, joined mayors around the country in criticizing Trump's move to target sanctuary cities.

Officials in sanctuary cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago have vowed to fight the plan. But on Thursday, a South Florida mayor ordered his employees to start working more closely with federal immigration authorities.

Milwaukee is not a sanctuary city, Barrett said.

"At this time in our nation's history, we have to have political leaders who are going to speak out if they see something that is so offensive," Barrett said to applause from the crowd, which was gathered at Grain Exchange on East Michigan Street.

Barrett said he wants Milwaukee police officers to remain focused on public safety.

"Equally important as the respect for human beings is the fact that I want our Police department to be making our streets safer, and be fighting violent crime and drug dealing," Barrett said. "And not to have to sit in an office for three or four hours to have someone detained by a unit of government that hasn't done their job."

He added that if the "federal government wants to hire border guards and bring them to Milwaukee, that's their decision."

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Barrett has said that Milwaukee police and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division of Homeland Security have had a good working relationship.

Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn is expected to speak about the issue Saturday at an event organized by Voces de la Frontera, an immigrant rights group.

Trump signed two immigration-related executive orders Wednesday, including efforts to build a wall on the Mexican border and to clamp down on sanctuary cities that shield immigrants in the country illegally.

The Milwaukee County Board will consider a resolution Thursday, saying the county opposes discrimination and aims to keep the county a "safe" place for immigrants.