MILWAUKEE — Community organizations are notifying residents after what they describe as increased immigration enforcement activity across Milwaukee over the past two days.
Voces de la Frontera, an immigrant rights group, said its Rapid Response Line received and verified reports of ICE activity Thursday and Friday at multiple locations.
According to a Facebook post by Voces de la Frontera, one person was detained near 23rd Street and Greenfield Avenue, two near North 7th Street and West McKinley Place, and one near 35th Street and Clybourn Street.
The organization also reported sightings near 1500 W. National Ave. and North 27th Street.
Xavier Woodson, who lives near 23rd Street and Greenfield Avenue, said he initially thought he was watching a police arrest Friday afternoon.
"I thought it was police at the time, so I didn't think too much of it," Woodson said.
Woodson said he later saw three vehicles that he said were not identified as police before watching a woman being placed into one of them.
Another neighbor shared cellphone video with TMJ4 that the neighbor said showed the same incident.
TMJ4 has reached out to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement(ICE) to confirm what the video depicts, whether it conducted enforcement operations in Milwaukee, and whether anyone was detained.
As of publication, ICE had not responded.
On Saturday, Woodson said volunteers with Voces de la Frontera stopped by his home with know-your-rights information and a whistle they said could be used to alert neighbors to suspected ICE activity.
"I was just shocked," Woodson said. “Definitely on alert now.”
Forward Latino also issued a one-week advisory Saturday for southeastern Wisconsin after what it described as increased ICE activity.
Executive Director Darryl Morin told TMJ4 the advisory is not meant to cause panic, and encourages residents to remain calm, know their rights, and review the organization's preparedness resources.
He said it will be reevaluated in one week.
TMJ4 also asked the Milwaukee Police Department whether it was aware of the reported activity, but did not immediately hear back.
