To those who are feeling anxious
and with trepidation.
Please know that we do understand
the uncertain times that we are
living in.
Dade County will continue to be
strong.
We will continue to be compassionate
and we will support one another.
And I want to emphasize that we are
prepared to deal with the many
unknowns related to this incoming
administration.
We have been working tirelessly
to coordinate our work,
whether it's the Human Services
Department, the emergency management
department, public Health 911,
the DOJ court counsel,
and of course, the district attorney
and the sheriff's office among
some of the many departments
that are housed under county
government.
So together we are ready
to respond swiftly and effectively
to the situations that will arise.
We realize that there will be chaos,
but we are preparing ourselves
and we want to make sure that our
community knows that.
We're looking at this as a time
with many potential disruptions
that will necessitate county
responses, for example,
through our Human Services
Department, including our
Immigrations Affairs Department.
The county provides information
and education to those who
live in Dane County who might need
help navigating the services that we
provide on a daily basis
are amazing.
And I will put an explanation
point after that word.
Amazing County staff are
prepared to continue to provide
these crucial services
that may result
in a disruption of anything
that happens in our community.
And that's because we know that when
there is the potential of removing
our friends and neighbors from a
community or causing chaos
in anyone's life, it has an
acute and long term consequence
to families, to children
and to our economy.
We will continue to provide
social services to those in need
to mitigate the impacts on our
community through our Human Services
Department.
It is difficult to plan for the
unknown and it is difficult
to have answers to every possible
challenge that is going to come
before us.
But we're working to assess those
obstacles as
they become more clear to us.
And we know that this is going
to continue over the next year
and forward.
We are working tirelessly to do our
very best to prepare,
and we also need to be very honest
with folks.
No one has all the answers right
now.
But to quote the great Maya Angelou,
when someone shows you who they are,
you need to believe them.
In fact, we've seen reports out of
Milwaukee that a federal detention
facility is being planned
in that community.
This is happening, folks.
This is happening in
and in Dane County. We're going to
continue to do things the Dane
County way.
None of the services and programs
that we're discussing now are new,
and we're not deviating from what
it is that our moral fiber and the
mission of county government is to
provide to the
people who live, work and play here.
So please continue to reach
out if you're concerned about
something. Reach out.
If you're concerned about a loved
one, reach out.
If you need services yourself,
reach out.
If there's an emergency, call 911.
That's why we're here.
That's what Dane County does every
single day, in and out,
is it helps our residents.
These programs are deeply rooted
in our communities values, and
they ensure that we are ready to
face these challenges head on.
I also encourage every single
family, including
mine, to take time and prepare
for various situations.
There are emergencies that by
definition that occur in our lives
that we can do better to prepare
for.
We've seen in real time emergencies
in our community and across our
country, whether it's flooding,
tornadoes, wildfires.
Plan.
Take care of your family ahead of
time.
And while we don't know exactly what
this new administration will be
doing. We do know that they have
been planning.
So it's crucial that our residents
also have plans in place to protect
and support their families,
just like we've been doing here in
county government planning
across our agencies and
with one another.
And finally, I just want to say that
there is going to be a lot of noise
in the coming days.
It's already starting.
The incoming administration has
grounded themselves in a belief that
the creation of division and chaos
is good for politics, not
something that I believe.
And I'm asking you all not to fall
into that mindset.
Real lives will be impacted by the
decisions that are made in the
coming weeks by every single one of
us.
These are real people.
They're our friends and our
neighbors.
These are children that go to our
schools.
And I'm asking you to keep your
humanity even during times
when. Local rhetoric is likely to be
heightened on TV and
on every social media platform that
is out there.
But the bottom line is this.
I believe deeply in the
people here in Dane County.
I know that we're going to remain
strong.
That we are resilient and that we
are compassionate.
Most of all.
And with that, I'm going to turn it
over to the district attorney
closing.
Thank you.
Thank you all for coming.
I have copies of my remarks here
in English and in Spanish, so
feel free to take a hard copy.
Hello.
I'm Ishmael Ozanne.
You're Dane County district
attorney.
I want to reinforce my office's
commitment to supporting every
member of our diverse community who
experiences the trauma of
victimization, the
right to safety, peace
and dignity is a fundamental
collective value of
Dane County government.
No one should feel the need
to compromise this right
due to their fear of removal
or separation from their loved ones.
If they cooperate with our office.
We recognize that for immigrant
members of our community,
the trauma of victimization
can be compounded
by the fear of being questioned
about their legal status
and the uncertainty of being
involved in the criminal justice
system.
I want to make it clear,
no matter who you are or where you
come from, my office
is committed to helping
make Dade County a safe
and welcoming place for all.
Increased fear of mass deportations
has already inhibited
some members of our most vulnerable
populations from
reporting their victimization to law
enforcement.
This reality perpetuates a cycle
of violence
and criminality that have
a chilling effect
on our entire community.
Our schools, workplaces
and neighborhoods become less safe
when our neighbors and loved ones
are afraid to report crimes
and engage in our criminal justice
system.
We are committed to our mission
to ensure every Dane County
resident, regardless of their legal
status, feel safe
cooperating with our prosecutors and
exercising their rights
as a crime victim.
By offering culturally relevant
trauma informed services, our Crime
Response program provides
24/7 services to victims of
crime, their families
and witnesses on scene
or in the early stages of an
investigation.
These services include crisis
intervention, short and long term
safety planning and referrals
to mental health providers and
community partners.
Our victim witness unit is
available to crime victims
throughout the criminal court
process.
To provide information about court
proceedings as well as offer support
and adequacy along the way.
We are proud to have a full time
bilingual, bicultural staff in
both programs
to assist victims and witnesses
whose first language is Spanish.
And all our services are
accessible in any
language and to every victim,
whether they are undocumented
or a US citizen.
The Dane County District Attorney's
Office plays an important
role in
review and certification of U.
Nonimmigrant status visas
or U. Visa applications.
And 2021, we created a certification
review policy that has
since been shared with our partners
across the state of Wisconsin.
Every crime victim in Dane County
receives information on this
valuable public service
resource,
which for cooperative and qualifying
applicants can set them
on a path toward lawful permanent
residence.
When victims are engaged,
law enforcement and district
attorneys are better able to
investigate, prosecute cases
involving domestic violence, child
abuse,
violent assaults and other crimes.
The district attorney's office is
separate from the federal
government.
We are not immigration enforcement.
A collateral consequence of mass
deportations.
Is this the
creation of a pathway
for violent offenders who are
facing serious criminal charges to
evade accountability?
When undocumented offenders are
removed from Dane County before they
get a chance to exercise their
right
to a fair trial,
their victims are deprived of
justice, and our larger communities
are placed at an even greater risk.
We will continue to do our jobs and
deliver the same high quality
services to all visitors
and residents of Dane County.
We remain steadfast in our belief
that a lack of status
does not equate to a lack of
justice.
You.
So we're able to take questions
if you have any at this point.
Yeah. Roseanne, I wanted to ask you,
you mentioned there were these
concerns about, you know, fear of
deportation inhibiting crime
reporting.
What are you doing to kind of
reassure people who are concerned
about that? And would you.
Possibly report that to the
government if they can't
hear?
Okay. That last part.
I'm not certain.
On What?
Yeah, I can hear you.
Okay. I'm just trying to understand,
like, would it be a risk for them if
they did record a crime and
they were here in the country
illegally to report that?
It should not be a risk to them.
We do not check status.
We give our
services to every victim that comes
into the criminal justice system.
But the pressure on individuals
to whether it's a fear
that they may be deported or that
a loved 1st May be deported
is real. And those who pressure
victims in their initial
engagement with the criminal justice
system for their continued
engagement with our office, which
does not allow us to continue
to function
at our best and
actually hold offenders accountable.
For from this law enforcement
component. If the county has any
plans for
emergency funding for like
immigration affairs, if some of
these other groups like Centro
itself that handles legal services
for immigrants.
So it is not in the county's purview
to provide legal services for
residents of Dane County.
So we will continue to provide
wraparound services and
support members of our community
that are disrupted by
actions that may be taken by the
federal administration.
But again, we
currently do not provide legal
services that is not in the purview
or.
Something of is that going to take
the place?
Like what services?
Immigration affairs.
Like any action by the board or
anything like that the next few
weeks.
Are you asking if we're going to
change our mission?
I'm just any action.
We will continue to support
our local partners in the way that
we have, but we are not and have
not supported through legal action
We have. There are amazing partners
across our country, including here
in Dane County, that do provide
legal services, but that is not
under the umbrella of the county.
Melissa, I think it was just before
Christmas when America.
Legal for.
America First Legal sent you
and a number of other officials
across the country a letter saying
like you are not
informing ice of
residency status, you are aiding
and abetting.
I don't know if you saw that letter
and what your response is to that
is just are they trying to threaten
you and other sanctuary
jurisdictions?
Well, I question the word of
sanctuary there.
We have reviewed
that letter. I am aware of that
letter.
It did get sent to me.
It is in the
county's court counsel hands.
There are a number of items
in that letter that we disagree
with, and we will
continue to navigate it.
It wasn't officially from the
federal government, but it does
appear that it came from many of
Trump's biggest partners in it.
What do you disagree with?
I don't have the letter in front of
me. I wasn't prepared to talk about
that. Happy to flip back with you.
Do you concerns that there will be
pushback or repercussions from the
federal government cooperate
on some of the things they're talking
about, whether it's trying to choke
off funding from the federal
government, from the county or
something? You think it's not going
to happen?
Yeah, certainly
restriction of resources so that we
can provide what it is that is
mandated for us to deliver to
members of our community by both the
federal and the State government is
concerning to us and that is one
of the reasons why we are here.
We are resilient
and it is really hard to speculate
what it is that these folks are
going to do before they do it.
As I mentioned, it is very clear
that there is a plan of
unpredictability and chaos
through this process.
So we will continue to stay on.
It is on top of this
as much as we can.
It's going to be all hands and all
hands on deck to make sure that
we're having each other's backs and
taking care of people in the
community as
as we always have.
There's other counties around
the country and county boards that
have passed legislation to make it
harder for local law enforcement to
cooperate with federal immigration
authorities to actually take that
off the table.
I don't believe that is on the table
right now.
We it is not in our scope.
We are not an arm of the federal
government. It is not one
of our duties and responsibilities
to provide immigration,
immigration enforcement within the
county.
But, I mean, you can make it harder
for the sheriff's office to
cooperate with them.
The sheriff is not here.
So I think that's a.
I would just say, listen,
I don't believe that.
And sure, Miles is here.
I don't believe that the county
board is looking to dictate to a
constitutional officer what they
should or shouldn't do.
I think the sheriff has been very
clear on his statements as to his
department and how
they interact with
federal agencies.
We obviously do not have an ability
to keep federal agencies
out of our jurisdiction, nor would
we.
But I don't see
any arm of government trying to tell
another constitutional officer what
they can and can't do.
At least here in Dane County.
The message has been pretty loud and
clear that it is our job.
We see it as our job to
protect the people that are here
in Dane County.
And we are here delivering that
message today, unified.
Now, piggybacking on that, also, you
mentioned that, you know, you
question the use of the term
sanctuary.
Why do you question that?
Is that not a fair way to describe
the situation in Dane County?
I don't believe that the county
board has taken action to
define Dane County as a sanctuary
county when it comes to immigration.
In terms of practice, though, isn't
it sort of what
conservatives say is a sanctuary
door?
Well, you're speaking on the
conservative frame.
I'm talking in the frame of what
Dane County is.
And we have a history,
as I mentioned, of
protecting one another and
delivering on our mission and with
the the values
of the people within our community.
And we're not planning on changing
anything of what it is that we are
doing. We are here to highlight
the work that we are already doing
within the community.
I've got time for two more.
Can you just walk me through the
first.
Steps someone should take, whether
there are papers and so forth?
Yes, absolutely.
So Dane County Human Services
does have toolkits for families and
individuals in our community
to have access to forms
and resources to create
emergency plans.
And again, I think
every single family, every
single person in our community
should take the time to do that.
You never know when there's going
to be a tornado, a flood, a fire
that is going to come before you.
So that is the first thing.
Prepare yourselves and your family
for disruption
and hopefully that disruption does
not come. But if it does,
make sure that you do have an
emergency plan.
I do that with my kids.
You know, if the house was to catch
on fire, where do you go?
How do you get there?
What do you say?
And those are those are very
important things. I know that there
are business owners in the community
that are making plans
within their businesses.
And I am grateful for that.
I know that there are municipal
governments that are making plans
there. But again, if you are
afraid, if you are hearing
something, do not hesitate to
reach out to the county.
911 is there for everyone.
That is a resource and we
will take it from there.
We will verify
and provide
the best community services that
we can to members of our community.
I know folks are not alone.
That is important.
We hope you're good.
One thing.
To know is that if the immigration
status, regardless of their status,
if they do commit a crime in Dane
County, will they be prosecuted or
is there legal.
Stipulations that you.
Are not able to prosecute
in that circumstance?
So we do not look at
someone's documentation as
to whether or not we can prosecute
or whether or not we
give victim services.
Right. We look at whether or not
there is probable cause, and we
believe we can prove whatever charge
we think is availed to
us beyond a reasonable doubt.
And that's sort of a collateral
issue that may come to bear
after a prosecution.
But the reality here is this
Our system,
our rule of law is there
for a reason, is to ensure
that we don't hopefully have
innocent people caught up in the
system.
It's to ensure that crime victims
have a voice.
It's to ensure that we can hold
people accountable if they violate
the law.
After that,
there may be consequences as to
deportation.
But that's after we've addressed
these issues in the criminal justice
system.
Do you expect this new
administration to create a de
facto, a larger.
Caseload for your
your colleagues in the office?
Our caseload will depend on
whether people are violating the law
and the investigations
by our law enforcement within Dane
County. I can tell you this.
We have had to navigate when
someone is potentially
looking to be deported prior
to being held accountable in our
system.
That is a serious problem because
it could be, in a sense, a get out
of jail free card.
I do not know of any country that
would immediately incarcerate
somebody or punish somebody for a
violation of the law here in
Dane County.
And that's what we would be looking
to address.
The problem with that
is that there is no guarantee that
that person will not victimize
a new victim or return
to our community and revictimize
the victims here.
And so that's why we need to
be
allowed to do our job
prior to any determination as to
whether or not someone should remain
in our country.
I just wanted to give one quick
response and
following up on Lucas's question,
there's no plans
and know anyone from the county
board, to my knowledge of of
adopting, promoting any resolution,
directing anything to the sheriff's
office.
There is a separation of powers.
We cannot mandate
what the sheriff does outside
of setting things in ordinances
or establishing
funding.
But I want to underscore that
from the board's perspective,
historically, we have been,
you know, our primary concern has
been
making sure that county
services are delivered
in a humane and
dignified manner.
And we want to
make sure that folks can trust
that when they call 911
or the DA's Office for
Victim Services, know
that their call will be answered and
they're not at risk of of
any other consequence of separation
or what have you. So
thanks, everybody.
Thank you.
Patrick Miles, chair of the Dane
County Board. Thank you.
I was telling Patrick Miles
and myself. Yes,
I'm going to release that over here.
We send.
Now.
And you?