KENOSHA — Dozens of students, parents and community members gathered at Civic Center Park Friday afternoon to protest the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office's decision to sign a 287(g) agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The agreement allows trained sheriff’s office staff to work directly with ICE inside the Kenosha County Jail, identifying immigrants already in custody on criminal charges.
Watch here: Why protesters in Kenosha are upset about the county sheriff's office's agreement with ICE.
Protesters say the policy creates fear for families across the community.
Among those speaking out was Jacob Rawn, a high school student who joined classmates in walking out of school to attend the protest.
“Students are starting to claim their power, that their voices matter,” Rawn said.
Jacob’s mother, Sheila Rawn, stood alongside him, saying it was important for the community to be seen and heard.
“I think it’s super important for everybody who drives by to see that there are people who care,” Rawn said.
Protest organizer Grant Pitts urged continued action, calling on residents to contact their elected officials.
“Kenoshans are not going to tolerate ICE in our community, and we’re certainly not going to tolerate our own sheriff deputizing agents to assist in the removal of our neighbors,” Pitts said.
The protest comes after Sheriff David Zoerner signed a 287(g) Jail Enforcement Model agreement in December, a shift from his position just months earlier. In a September 2025 press release, Zoerner said the sheriff’s office was not participating in the program, citing uncertainty about whether it was in the county’s best interest.
In a statement sent to TMJ4, the sheriff’s office said Zoerner supports the agreement because it strengthens communication with ICE and applies only to individuals already lawfully arrested and booked into the county jail.
The sheriff’s office says failing to cooperate with ICE at the jail level could lead to individuals arrested for criminal offenses being released, increasing the risk of further victimization.
The statement adds that the sheriff remains committed to transparency and public safety for all residents.
Protesters, however, argue the policy threatens due process and sends a message that immigrant families are not safe.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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