No confirmed ICE raids in Milwaukee despite some social media claims
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- As President Donald Trump returns to the White House with promises to carry out mass deportations, the fear of ICE raids is something concerning to many people in Milwaukee's immigrant communities, fueling conversations with some falsehoods on social media.
On multiple social media platforms, dozens of posts and comments shared that there was an ICE raid at Klement's Sausage Company's warehouse in Milwaukee. Their president says that's not true.
"That is 100% false. We have not had any interactions with ICE," said Mike McGuire, the president of Klement's Sausage Company Inc. "We shut down for a few hours yesterday after some mechanical problems in the facility, and once fixed, continued with our scheduled production later yesterday. Absolutely nothing to do with ICE or anything along those lines."
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said he is not aware of any ICE raids in the city as of Wednesday, Jan. 22, while speaking to reporters at an event for MATC.
“I don’t anticipate those rules changing in terms of the way police interact with immigration officials in the city of Milwaukee, so I don’t see that changing," the mayor said. “My goal is to make sure everyone is treated with respect. Everybody’s treated with dignity as we move forward over the course of this presidential term.”
This comes days after President Trump signed an executive order allegedly ending birthright citizenship in the United States.
“I think that’s a slippery slope. I think that’s dangerous," the mayor said, then questioning the ability to enforce that executive order. "We can’t jump every time he says something outlandish.”
ICE did not have any new information to share with CBS 58 about the claims of the raid at Klement's Sausage Company or elsewhere in the City of Milwaukee when questioned about the claims on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, Jan 15, Milwaukee Alderwoman Larresa Taylor rallied a crowd of dozens to show opposition to ICE after plans to move one of their facilities to the city's north side.