ICE crackdown divides swing state candidates as GOP nominee vows to mandate sheriff cooperation

Republican Wisconsin gubernatorial nominee Tom Tiffany said he would require local sheriffs and other law enforcement agencies to honour federal immigration detainers, setting out a clear contrast with Democratic nominee David Crowley in a debate. The dispute reflects how President Donald Trump’s expanded deportation drive has made cooperation between local authorities and ICE a prominent issue in the state.

Crowley opposed a blanket ban on cooperation and supported deporting immigrants convicted of crimes, but proposed limits on ICE, including judicial warrants for entry to jails, an end to local contracts with the agency and a ban on agents wearing masks. Twenty Wisconsin county law enforcement agencies take part in the federal 287(g) programme, which lets designated local officers carry out some immigration enforcement duties. Federal figures cited in the article show more than 2,100 people were detained by ICE in Wisconsin from January 2025 through the latest available reporting period.