A recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) report, dated June 21, 2024, lists Dane County, Wisconsin, as a “non-cooperative” jurisdiction in handling illegal immigrant criminals. 

According to ICE, this classification means the county does not provide sufficient notification before releasing individuals or adequate hold time for ICE to assume custody. This contradicts a statement from Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett, who denied the claim in a Facebook post.

Sheriff Barrett responded to criticism sparked by a Wisconsin Right Now article, which highlighted a letter from Wisconsin Congressmen Tom Tiffany and Derrick Van Orden. The letter was sent after the arrest of a suspected Venezuelan gang member wanted in Dane County. Barrett called the accusations “political theatrics” and stated that Dane County does not have a “non-cooperation” policy with ICE. He clarified that the county releases inmates if ICE fails to pick them up by 11 a.m. on their release date.

Congressman Tiffany responded directly to Barrett’s comments, citing the ICE report and questioning the sheriff’s transparency. The case that triggered this exchange involved Alejandro Jose Coronel Zarate, a Venezuelan national with ties to the Tren de Aragua gang, who was arrested in Prairie du Chien for sexually assaulting a minor.

While the debate continues, the ICE report notes that out of 4,156 institutions, only 551 are listed as non-cooperative. Sheriff Barrett’s stance and the subsequent back-and-forth raise broader questions about the level of cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities in Wisconsin.