Chief Koval: ‘We Are Not A Federal Immigration Authority’

Madison Mayor Paul Soglin and Madison Chief of Police Mike Koval are joining city leaders across the United States in trying to calm people’s nerves and re-affirm the city’s commitment to protecting the rights of immigrants.

President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on making immigration changes. Those changes could affect Madison, which has a policy on when it will assist federal immigration enforcement efforts. Soglin said that policy won’t change, and the city is firmly committed to protecting rights of all, regardless of their residency status.

Madison is on a national list of so-called sanctuary cities, but city officials have said it’s not a sanctuary city per se. Nevertheless, the mayor has asked City Attorney Michael May to research how the city could avoid penalties a Trump administration might impose.

“There’s been some talk by the (Trump) administration about cutting off some sorts of funding for certain cities,” May said at a Wednesday press conference. “We’ll have to look closely at that and see what we can do to make sure we aren’t injured by that.”

During Trump’s campaign, he said he would restrict funding for municipalities with government employees or law enforcement impeding federal government officials from handling immigration matters.

Since Trump’s victory Nov. 8, mayors of large U.S. cities have tried to calm concerns and said they will fight Trump’s promises to “end the sanctuary cities.”

A 2010 Madison resolution directed city police not to inform Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents about illegal immigrants unless they’re charged with a violent crime. Koval said Wednesday that community policing depends on people coming forward if they know about crimes or have been a victim. He said those who are fearful of authority may not come forward.

“We are not a federal immigration authority,” Koval said. “Their mission is not our mission.”

The meaning of a sanctuary city differs from place to place and there is no legal definition. However, the terms typically apply to municipalities that have laws or policies limiting the amount law enforcement and government employees will help federal officials with immigration matters.

Koval said the department can’t stop ICE from taking undocumented immigrants into custody. And he said as officers of the court, Madison police would collaborate with Homeland Security and ICE on more serious suspected crimes. But since he’s been chief of police, he said there hasn’t been a situation in which the department has been compelled to turn over an undocumented immigrant.

Madison police are concerned not only about immigrants, but post-election backlash against Muslims and people of color. Police are investigating a handwritten note containing racial slurs found in a mailbox on Madison’s west side. It says “race wars are on,” the person should move to the Middle East and not all are created equal.

The language used by Trump during the campaign encouraged physical and verbal abuse of certain groups, Soglin said. Madison Common Council Alderman Samba Baldeh, an immigrant from Ghana, said the city needs to educate immigrants about their rights.

“They need to let them know what the law says,” he said.

Baldeh said he is working to organize a forum where police can tell residents what their rights are.

Correction: An earlier version of this story attributed a statement to Paul Soglin. The quote came from Michael May. It has been updated.