Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers voiced doubts about Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez’s proposal to ban most civil ICE enforcement near courthouses, schools, hospitals and other sensitive sites, saying the state may lack the legal authority to impose such limits. Rodriguez — a 2024 gubernatorial candidate — also wants ICE officers unmasked, clearly identified and wearing body cameras. The plan follows protests after an ICE officer fatally shot Renee Goodin in Minnesota and a related lawsuit by Minnesota and two cities seeking to curb federal enforcement actions.
Evers Questions Lt. Gov. Rodriguez’s Plan To Restrict ICE Near Schools, Courts And Hospitals
FILE - Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez speaks at a campaign event for Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, Nov. 1, 2024, in Little Chute, Wis. (AP Photo/Andy Manis, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers expressed reservations about a proposal from his lieutenant governor to bar most civil immigration enforcement actions by federal agents near courthouses, schools, hospitals, licensed child-care centers, domestic violence shelters and places of worship across the state.
Proposal Details
Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, a Democrat and a 2024 gubernatorial candidate, unveiled the plan on Monday. It would prohibit civil immigration enforcement in the named locations, with narrowly defined exceptions when agents present a judicial warrant or face an immediate threat to public safety. Rodriguez also called for ICE officers operating in Wisconsin to be clearly identified, unmasked, and equipped with body cameras.
Governor’s Response And Legal Concerns
Asked about the proposal during a news briefing, Evers said, “I’m not sure we have the ability to do that,” signaling legal and practical uncertainty about whether a state can limit federal civil immigration enforcement in this way. He also warned that an outright ban might provoke a stronger response from the federal government.
Wisconsin's Democratic Gov. Tony Evers discusses his call on the Republican-controlled Legislature to act on a broad array of his priorities in his final year in office on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Scott Bauer)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
“We can take a look at that, but I think banning things absolutely will ramp up the actions of our folks in Washington, D.C. They don’t tend to approach those things appropriately,” Evers told reporters.
Context And Reaction
Rodriguez released the proposal after an incident in neighboring Minnesota in which an ICE officer fatally shot Renee Goodin, a killing that sparked nationwide protests and renewed scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement practices. Minnesota — joined by the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul — sued the Trump administration seeking a temporary restraining order to halt or limit an enforcement surge there.
Rodriguez said her plan draws on measures advanced or considered in other Democratic-led states, including California, New York, Illinois and New Jersey. Supporters argue location-based limitations protect access to schools, medical care and courts; critics say the approach raises constitutional and practical questions about the federal government’s authority and could invite legal challenges.
Both Rodriguez and Evers were elected on the same ticket in 2022. Rodriguez is one of several Democrats running to succeed Evers, who decided not to seek a third term.
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