The League of Women Voters Of Dane County (LWVDCO) held a public forum Tuesday to address Dane County immigration issues. Gail Bliss, a League of Women Voters for almost 20 years, moderated the event.
The league hosted a panel of three immigration experts in discussion: Christine Neumann-Ortiz, founding Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera and Voces de la Frontera Action, UW-Madison Professor Armando Ibarra and Aissa Olivarez, Managing Attorney at the Community Immigration Law Center.
“I think it's really important to understand that immigration is fundamentally a class issue,” Neumann-Ortiz said at the forum.
She elaborated on the adversity immigrants face by discussing how detained immigrants working in federally-supervised detention centers are making “near slavery wages” of $1 an hour.
To solve these problems, Neumann-Ortiz proposed “broad, simple and affordable immigration reform.” “At the state level, we need driver's license registration, state bills to keep families together, and a judicial warrant standard,” she said.
Professor Armando Ibarra articulated the importance of this issue within Dane County, saying “there is a higher percentage of naturalized immigrant citizens in Dane County than in the state as a whole.”
Immigrants paid $2.2 billion in federal taxes and $1.2 billion in state and local taxes in 2023, according to Ibarra. “They are right at the center of economic activity and their contribution to the economy is enormous,” Ibarra said.
Olivarez discussed the expansion of the constitutional protections of immigrants.
Olivarez denounced Monday’s federal supreme court ruling, which ruled Immigration and Customs Enforcements (ICE) Agents can stop individuals solely based on race, language or occupation.
Olivarez emphasized how critical this time in history is and the need for more legal representation for immigrants.
“There are about 60,000 people in detention nationally right now. In 1996, it was only 9,000. Only 30% of these people are represented by a lawyer,” she said.
The forum was then opened up to questions from community members in attendance who asked about keeping immigrants safe, dairy workers and information on how ICE is operating in Dane County.
How can we help keep immigrants safe?
“Refusing to answer questions of ICE, and refusing to share what your status is, because you have the right to remain silent,” Olivarez said.
Ibarra followed up with the importance of holding our elected officials accountable, and not just volunteering, but investing in these conversations, adding, “just be on top of what is going on.”
What’s the resistance to creating year round visas to dairy workers, how can that be changed?
If we continue to lose workers and we don't get immigration reform, prices are going to go up.
“We have to draw the right conclusions and get together to get the reform we want and that is the goal, that is our goal,” said Neumann-Ortiz.
What is the best way to stay current on what ICE is actually doing in Dane County and how can we help?
“Encourage people to become Voces de la Frontera members where you gain information on upcoming events and strikes,” Neumann-Ortiz said.
Olivarez highlighted the importance of sharing and reading verified information as to ICE’s whereabouts so people can make accurate decisions for their families on what to do next.
