Coalition to end ICE Contracts in Sauk County
We are a growing coalition of Sauk County residents, faith leaders, farmers and business owners who are standing up for our immigrant neighbors. Working in solidarity with immigrant families, we seek to stop our local police from targeting our immigrant community and to educate residents about Sauk County’s expanding role in President Trump’s extreme, anti-immigration agenda.
Our mission is to build a Sauk County where no one is afraid to attend school, church, or community gatherings, where neighbors help neighbors, and where everyone is free to thrive.
Quick actions
ICE? In Sauk County? – Yes.
In Sauk County, ICE detentions and deportations are devastating our immigrant community. Federal data show that the number of people held in ICE detention in the Sauk County Jail increased over six-fold from September 2025 to April 2026.
Why is this happening? In the second Trump administration, ICE is using local and state police forces as “force multipliers” in its federal deportation drive. To do that, ICE has expanded the use of its 287(g) program, which deputizes state and local law enforcement to detain people for immigration purposes and put them into deportation proceedings.
As of today, Sauk County is in a minority of Wisconsin counties that have voluntarily entered into the 287(g) program (28 percent).
Sauk is also one of only five Wisconsin jurisdictions who have signed a “jail enforcement model” contract.
Since the 287(g) program began, hundreds of thousands of people have been deported. The 287(g) program has also led to widespread instances of racial profiling and police abuse, and is conducted with a secrecy that can undermine public safety.
Who is ICE holding in detention?
Over 70.8% of people held in ICE detention have no criminal conviction.
Many of them are detained after committing only minor offenses, including traffic violations. Many people who have been detained by ICE also have legal permission to be in the United States.
In Sauk County, Sheriff Chip Meister has unilateral authority to enter into 287(g) contracts as well as the ability to cancel these contracts at any time.
What does this mean?
By partnering with ICE, the Sheriff's Department is turning over its local authority to a lawless agency that is knowingly inflicting terror, pain, medical neglect, and death on our friends, neighbors, and co-workers.
Partnering with ICE has also opened the county up to costly litigation.
Our demands
The Coalition is demanding that the Sauk County Sheriff:
cancel all current 287(g) contracts with ICE;
refrain from entering into any further 287(g) contracts with ICE, and;
cancel all agreements that call for cooperation with ICE or any agency of the Department of Homeland Security without a judicial order.
Join us in ending Sauk County’s contracts with ICE
Here’s what you can do:
Call or email Sheriff Chip Meister and the Sauk County board to register your opposition to these contracts. You can find a .
Write a letter to the editor about this issue. And talk to your friends to make them aware of what is happening. The Columbia County Democrats have a helpful resource about letter-writing.
Are you a part of a Sauk County business, organization, or faith community that would like to join this coalition? Contact us.
Are you an individual who would like to help us expand this coalition? Contact us via this form.
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