Wisconsin sheriff clarifies relationship with ICE and county jail

Описание: Winnebago County Sheriff John Matz addressed its cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement enforcement during a regularly scheduled Judiciary and Public Safety Committee meeting on Monday night.

The county has an agreement with ICE to cooperate specifically for the county jail, so local law enforcement isn't participating in arrests or the like. Instead, the county is cooperating with ICE for jail inmates.

Most Northeast Wisconsin counties have the same agreement, including Brown, Calumet, Fond du Lac, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Outagamie, Sheboygan and Waushara. Matz said the county is operating the same way it has for 25 years.

ICE detained 17 people in the Winnebago County Jail in 2025 and three in January 2026, according to Matz's presentation. These are all people who are here illegally and have been arrested and booked in jail.

The sheriff's office has full control over law enforcement, including any involvement with ICE. County Executive Gordon Hintz and Matz said they are not aware of any ICE presence in Winnebago County. Matz said he doesn't believe the agency would come here, though Hintz said he has some concern.

Matz is a Republican; Hintz, while he holds a nonpartisan position, has previously run for office as a Democrat.

Matz said he plans to give updates monthly at the meetings, which are open to the public and typically held on the first Monday of every month at 6 p.m.

More than a dozen people spoke out against any county dealing with ICE at Monday's meeting, calling for the county to end any agreement.

The county receives about $20,000 per year in reimbursements from ICE, depending on how many people are detained there. Matz said he has no interest in holding anyone here who is not arrested in the county.

When we asked him how he might approaching things in Winnebago County if ICE came here, he declined to provide specifics, but added that he doesn't believe ICE will target the county. He said he's solely focused on what's happening in the county.

More details: https://fox11online.com/news/local/wi...

#lawenforcement #immigrationandcustomsenforcement #immigrationice #oshkosh #wisconsin
_______________
Stay up to date with our social media:

WLUK on Facebook:   / wlukfox11  
WLUK on X: https://x.com/fox11news
Subscribe to WLUK on YouTube:    / @fox11online  

Daily News Playlist:    • Плейлист  


For more information, visit https://fox11online.com/

Have a news tip? Send it directly to us:

Email us: [email protected]
Call the Newsroom: 920.494.8711

WLUK is a WI based station and a FOX Television affiliate owned and operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. is one of the largest and most diversified television broadcasting companies in the country today.

#WLUK #FOX11 #WLUKFox11 #FOX11News #GreenBay