Shortly after taking a defiant stance toward a series of immigration-related executive orders signed last week, Mayor Paul Soglin is offering a more cautious tone on related funding threats to Madison posed by state legislators.
Citing financial risks from Wisconsin lawmakers, Soglin pledged Wednesday to veto a city council resolution on immigration enforcement in Madison if it retains a clause naming part of the City-County Building a “safe space.”
“The consequences of declaring the offices a ‘safe space’ can be disastrous,” Soglin said. “In the last session of the legislature, consideration was given to suspending state funding to sanctuary cities … I see little value and a great deal of risk in such an action.”
Soglin said the state has far more power to remove funding to Madison than the federal government. Other so-called sanctuary cities across the country can act as support systems for one another at the national level, he said, but not in the case of state legislation.
“If Trump should take action against any or all of these cities there will be a unified response– politically and legally,” Soglin said. “Cities in California and New York, where there are favorable federal courts, will most likely be able to get injunctions that will protect all of us.”
A resolution, sponsored by 12 city alders, was authored following Trump’s recently issued executive orders calling for stricter immigration enforcement at both the national and local level; the legislation condemns three of those executive orders.
On top of declaring the fourth floor of the City-County Building a “safe space,” the resolution reaffirms Madison’s position on federal immigration enforcement. It says city funds should not be used, unless required by law, to probe immigration status or enforce federal immigration law. It also orders that access to services provided by the city not be subject to conditions based on immigration status.
Soglin expressed support for other components of the resolution, but concluded the “safe space” initiative is more risky than beneficial.
“We have made the point that we are a sanctuary city,” he said. “Let us avoid a futile gesture that may make us feel good, but that does not add to the sanctity of our position and only creates enormous risk.”
A city council member representing the campus area—Ald. Zach Wood, District 8—told The Daily Cardinal he understands Soglin’s concerns, but doesn’t think Madison should give in to any bullying.
Wood said his strongest reaction this week was disappointment with the state.
Wisconsin lawmakers reintroduced Thursday a bill that would subject so-called sanctuary cities to financial and legal penalties, according to Wood and officials at the mayor’s office.
The proposed legislation would leave cities liable to charges for each day they fail to comply with federal or state immigration enforcement laws, resembling a state Assembly bill vetoed by the Senate in April 2016. Fees would range between $500 and $5,000—depending on city population—per day of noncompliance.
“This is a further aggression of the state trampling on local control,” Wood said.
City council members are set to discuss the resolution at a Feb. 7 meeting.
