Protesters gather in 2018 to speak out against ICE.
Voces De La Frontera Monday released a video of a Milwaukee resident being detained by ICE officials with the help of the Milwaukee Police Department. Milwaukee man Jose Alejandro De la Cruz-Espinoza was in his vehicle parked on the street outside of his home when ICE officers, assisted by the MPD, took him away from his family.
Watch the video below:
The incident occurred on Milwaukee's South Side, near 5th St. and Becher St. A member of Voces De La Frontera responded to a hotline call by the wife of De la Cruz. Voces uses the hotline to field calls from those fearing deportation across the state.
The man was with his wife and three young daughters when the incident occurred.
After he was taken his wife said, “they wouldn’t let us say goodbye, they wouldn’t let us hug him. Nothing," according to a Voces press release. "They physically dragged my daughters out of the car, and they did not provide a search warrant. They terrorized my family.”
De la Cruz's wife told media that her husband was in the country illegally but was attempting to gain citizenship. The MPD officer was planning on arresting De la Cruz on a probation charge.
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“This is evidence that Milwaukee Police Department is collaborating with ICE,” said Christine Neumann-Ortiz, executive director of Voces de la Frontera.
Voces is holding an "ICE Out of Milwaukee Committee Vote" Thursday afternoon before The Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission’s Policy Committee will consider changes to include non-collaboration between the police department and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"This fear and mistrust of local law enforcement extends to children in these households who are living through a deportation of a parent or a raid. This is why the Fire & Police Commission members must vote to strengthen MPD policy against ICE collaboration," said Neumann-Ortiz.
Voces De La Frontera will have a brief press conference before attending the hearing. Voces is proposing that the Milwaukee Police Department not assist in ICE raids, use any resources for immigration enforcement, report people, share info or collaborate with ICE and more.
Milwaukee Police SOP 130 says:
"Enforcement of the nation's immigration laws is the responsibility of the federal government, particularly the United States Bureau of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Accordingly, the Milwaukee Police Department does not unilaterally undertake immigration - related investigations and does not routinely inquire into the immigration status of persons encountered during police operations. This prohibition does not preclude the department from cooperating with federal immigration officials when requested, or from notifying those officials in serious situations where a potential threat to the public is perceived."
“The last thing I want to see is the chilling effect when people are reaching out for help,” said Melissa Soberalski, an immigration attorney working with the De la Cruz family. “As a lawyer that works with victims of crime such as domestic abuse, sexual assault, trafficking and other forms of violence, it’s essential that these individuals feel safe to report crimes to authorities and have access to pathways for protections."
You can learn more about the Voces event Thursday here.
