(The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s lieutenant governor says she misspoke and is clarifying a statement she made to CBS 58 that she would support Immigration and Enforcement agents making arrests in the state.
“Yes. If they have an administrative warrant, that somebody has been asked to leave the country,” Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez said during the interview. “Because they know they are there and they’re looking for a specific person.”
Rodriguez took to social media on Sunday with a different explanation.
“I misspoke and have been very clear on this issue and my calls for Wisconsin to lead in our response to unlawful ICE activity – no arrests without a judicial warrant,” she wrote. “Unmask federal agents and require clear identification. No raids at schools, churches, or hospitals. No additional funding for ICE. And it’s past time for leadership to be held accountable.”
Judicial warrants mainly deal with other crimes. Administrative warrants usually deal with only immigration violations – a point that one of Rodriguez’s opponents in the crowded Democratic race for governor quickly made on X.
“An ‘administrative warrant’ is how ICE unlawfully detained 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos,” candidate Missy Hughes wrote. “We must be strong against ICE’s lawless impunity, and restore the Constitutional rule of law.”
State Sen. Kelda Roys, D-Madison, who is also running for governor also jumped on Rodriguez’s comments.
“I strongly disagree. We need a governor who is willing to defend our rights and not bow to ICE’s illegitimate administrative warrants. Our law enforcement officers should only honor judicial warrants,” Roys added.
The back-and-forth came during the same weekend that a third Democratic candidate for governor, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, said there was “no scenario” where he could see Wisconsin or Milwaukee County working with ICE.
ICE and immigration have become a major issue in the crowded Democratic primary in Wisconsin. All of the seven candidates have taken a hard line against ICE and against potential cooperation with the president and his immigration policies.
