Steering & Rules Committee - Regular Meeting

Afternoon, everyone. I'd like to call towards the steering of rules committee. I am alderman Jose Perez chair. I am joined virtually by alderwoman Malayle a Cogs. Joining us shortly will be alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic. I'm joined by alderman Robert Baumann, alderman Russell Stamper the second, alderman Jokasa Samaripa, alderman Scott Spiker and Alderman Deandre Jackson. We're also joined at the table by Alderman Bergelis and Alderman Brower. Did I miss anyone? And just wanna thank our staff assistant that Yarida Melendez. It is approximately 01:37 on Monday, 03/09/2026.

We'll begin with item one, file two five zero seven nine eight. The substitute ordinance creating a department of equity and inclusion and that is Scott Spiker, the sponsor. Would you like to proceed, Alderman Spiker?

Thank you, mister president. Just briefly, this is motivated by the changes taking place at budget, taking the former office of equity and inclusion, bringing it out and forming its own department, did some cleanup with respect to name changes and some of the code to add some clarity as to the work of the office and appreciate the help of Ms. Reed and the city attorney's office on getting that done and on the LRB for drafting. So with that, kick it off to the real experts. Thank you.

Okay. The floor is yours, would you like to identify yourself for your record, please?

Absolutely. Mary Reed. I am director of the, soon to shortly be, Department of Compliance and Engagement.

Andrea Fowler, assistant city attorney.

Assistant city attorney Catherine Block.

Okay. Any testimony you wanna provide to the file at all or we're just gonna go right into questions? You're the chair you're the sponsor. Alderman Spike or anything particular

Mister chair.

You wanna point out?

Nope. I had all my questions answered productive meetings in advance. Thank you.

Alderman Stamper.

Well then, on the spike, are you gonna discuss them today or I don't wanna repeat anything.

No. Go ahead. Feel free to ask any questions.

Okay. Well, when was when will the new title take place?

Well, we're hoping that this committee here enacts or creates the Department of Compliance and Engagement, and then a file will be soon scheduled for confirmation.

Okay. And the biggest rationale behind the change?

The biggest rationale behind the change is assessing the work that we do. And after looking at every function of work that we do in the ordinances that govern our work, we feel strongly that the terms compliance and engagement more closely align with the work we do.

Okay. In the work that you do, can we still set the same goals as the former name?

Absolutely. Absolutely.

What'd say? Here's the mic. Oh. Did you hear me?

Yes. I heard you. Yes.

On the mic.

Yeah. I heard you. Yes,

They're calling, man.

The work will not change. What's built in is compliance and engagement. We engage with the community at multiple levels, and we hold stakeholders accountable, that being that compliance piece to the ordinances, that will not change.

Thank you. Thank you, mister chair.

Okay. Any other questions? There I'm sorry. Oh, other member Gallas.

Thank you. For the sponsor, when was the draft, developed? Who were the stakeholders included in discussions? When was the draft circulated?

Mhmm. So we had a discussion. What was our meeting I'll with get to it. So we had discussion, what was it, two weeks ago? Was it two and a half? About. Three weeks ago? So the plan coming out of budget was to move the office into a department that was relatively cure clear from the get go. Had a discussion with Ms. Reed, the LRB in the form of Chris Hillard who drafted working with Ms.

Reed and, of course, the city attorney's office, attorney Fowler, attorney Block. So that took place, yeah, I wanna say about two and a half weeks ago, thereabouts. I stated at the time if we touch anything related to the Office of Equity and Inclusion, now the Department of Compliance and Engagement, that was an office that was created through the sponsorship of Alder Cogs and so I wanted to ensure that she was brought in from the get go. I personally reached out to her, gave her a heads up about it. I've talked to her as recently today as about it.

She also had indicated about Ms. Reed can verify that she had the opportunity to talk to Ms. Reed. And I believe she also talked to Mary Shenning from the city attorney's office.

So then, what other stakeholders, on the council were included in discussions preparing the draft?

Stakeholders from the council? I sponsored

Stakeholders that are concerned about diversity and inclusion.

I contacted Alder Cogs as I stated before, and I was the sponsor. And the file has been circulated, so anybody with a Syrian rules agenda who has interest in it can weigh in. But I guess that's your answer.

That is an answer.

Hello, person Salmanifa.

Thank you. So this I just wanted to ask Alderman Spiker. So this is kind of finishing up the work that was before council last week where you created a department of or you you changed the office of equity and inclusion to a department?

That was a file that was passed in budget to actually create, the department. My understanding in the city attorney's office can weigh in on it is we needed this to actually make that real so we moved the money and positions over but this was required to put a ribbon on the bow as far as moving it. As far as the changes to the language and the code, that was recommended by the city attorney's office and my understanding from speaking with Ms. Reed, more closely reflects the work of the office and in her response to Alder Stamper's question, the work of the office is not changed by this.

Okay, so yes, you started in the budget. I recall when you made the Office of Community Wellness and Safety, you turned it into a department. And then and then you also started at that time the process to turn the Office of Equity and Inclusion into a department. And I'm just looking for the file. Recall that what we voted on last week, Alderman Spiker and Council, that was Go ahead.

So, that was relating to the now Department of Community Wellness and Safety. So, both of those so if we really want to go back to history here, we can. So both of those were born out of a similar urge, which is nonsense that happened that we would like to prevent from happening in the future. So one bit of nonsense was Ms. Carranjo left the Office of Equity and Inclusion in a way that made some of us very uncomfortable and there was nothing we could do about what happened next.

Now by having a department, we will have confirmation power and should Ms. Reed come forward for confirmation obviously she has my full throated support, has been excellent in the role. And similarly with Office of Community Wellness and Safety, members will recall the fiasco of trying to name ahead of that, you know, last August ish and how there was a public process to find a national expert in that. There were three candidates named, two of whom either turned it down or we turned them down. And then the third that was left, miss Tyler, who's, gonna be before us again at some point, mayor passed over her and chose an entirely new candidate without any additional public engagement.

We wanna ensure that couldn't happen again, make sure there is a public process and make sure the council has a role in the naming or the confirmation of the head of that office. So it won't be a unilateral thing. It's the division of power which in general is a good thing to make sure the council has a role in who heads these important departments slash offices slash agencies slash public entities.

Mister chair.

Yes.

Thank you. I yes. Alderman spec here. I am referring to your substitute ordinance relating to the creation of the Department of Community Wellness and Safety. I was mistaken. That was what we voted on last week in council which I did vote. No on. Thank you, mister chair.

Okay. Before we go any further, there is a proposed substitute. That's number 250798. The motion by Alderman Baumann is to move with the substitute. Are there any objections to that? Hearing none, so the substitute is before us.

And I would note mister president that 15 members of the council voted to override the mayor's veto on all this stuff. So we are doubling down on what we did last fall. Thanks.

Any further comments or questions?

Mr. Chair. Chair. I do have thank you for reminding me. I do have great regrets. We did because of that motion because of that action ultimately lose director Adam Purcell. Thank you.

That was a different veto or part of the same package. Different department.

But another office that we changed to a department thus losing Adam Persaud's leadership.

Alright. Any further discussion? Any further comment? Move adoption. The motion by the amendment is to move adoption. Are there any objections to that to that motion? I'll object. Hearing one objection, so move. Item number two, file two five one six three four, resolution prohibiting the use of city property for civil immigration enforcement activities. Alderperson Samaritpa, you are the sponsor.

Would you like to begin with that? I would just like to say that I'd like to thank the council and to the extent possible future files, the work that we continue to do with MPD as well as the re like the recent masking updates to effectuate changes and updates being requested by our residents. Every time where it's applicable needed that we would include some advice from the city attorney's office and other departments as we act so as we continue to push the envelope and assuring that we protect our residents as best we can. We also have responsibility to make sure that what we adopt is both legally sound and operationally achievable. I want to thank everyone for their continued work with all the departments and doing that as we move other pieces of that legislative package forward.

With that, the person Samariba.

Thank you.

Mister chair, mister chair, can I just Alderman Demetriovich, can you hear me?

I can hear you.

Oh, I just wanna make sure I'm present. I had a technical difficulty getting in. Sorry about Thank you.

All right. Let the record reflect that we've been joined by Alder Woman Demetrijevic. Alderperson Samaripa.

Thank you. Good afternoon, Chairman Perez and members of the steering and rules committee and colleagues and to the public who have joined us here today. I'm Aldepristian Jocasta Samaripa, and today I bring forward file number 251634 for your consideration. This resolution prohibits the use of our city properties for civil immigration enforcement activities. As you know, Milwaukee is the largest city in the great state of Wisconsin.

It is also the most diverse city in the state. Milwaukeeans, regardless of their national origin, preferred language, or immigration status, contribute to the city's economic strength and cultural vibrancy. Like so many Americans across the country, our city was dismayed and heartbroken to hear of the aggressive actions taken by federal immigration enforcement agencies in other cities like Minneapolis and Chicago, just right next door to us. US citizens were gunned down in the streets of our neighboring state, Minnesota. These folks were simply invoking their first amendment right to protest peacefully, expressing their views in public space and expressing their views in public spaces.

It is clear that these ice surges that have happened in American cities have hindered the public safety of all people, whether they are fifth generation US citizens, legal permanent residents, or undocumented immigrants. My colleagues and I have been implored by our constituents to prepare and do everything that we can to keep our constituents safe. And so we have put together multiple pieces legislation that we refer to as the ICE Out MKE legislative package. This resolution that's before you today prohibits the use of city properties, as I said, for immigration enforcement activities. It is the first file to come before committee.

I want to thank our LRB staff, our legislative reference bureau staff, Kathy Brangos, for her drafting expertise in helping me to write this legislation. I want to thank my co sponsors, of course. Some of them are here on the committee, some of them are colleagues that are in the room with us today. Thank you so much. And I wanna especially thank city attorney Evan Goyke and assistant city attorney Tom Miller and their team for carefully reviewing this legislation.

I did indeed make a number of changes based on their keen insight, and I am confident that this file is good, ready, and able to withstand any legal scrutiny. As ACA Tom Miller conveyed to me, several other jurisdictions around the country have adopted similar legislation to what is before you here today. I would like to think we are in good company and that we are preparing to do what we can to keep all of the people of the city of Milwaukee safe, whether they be in their homes, in their neighborhoods, or on our city properties. Thank you so much, mister chair.

Thank you. Mister chair. One minute, Alderman Demetrijev. I do wanna recognize other woman more who's joined us here at committee. Alderman Demetrijevich.

Thank you so much, mister president. Thank you, alderperson Samaripa, for your leadership, co sponsors on this matter. I wish to voice my support and move adoption. Great, speech given by alderperson Samaripa. We are as promised going as much as we can piece by piece into the community and into discussions with our colleagues.

And I'll just say this because there's a lot more that needs to be heard on this. I recently had a town hall meeting that had hundreds, of attendees that that chose to participate and be trained, and this was something that they were asking for. They do not want their taxpayer money to go to support what they see as harsh, and at times, not even legal, and questionable activity. Look. The DHS secretary was just fired by president Trump.

So things are changing. We are on the right side of this, and we wanna make sure that there's safe places for everybody in the city of Milwaukee. And while we cannot do everything, I've been asked, you know, what is it that local government can do to stop the federal government? We're gonna find out everything that we can do. We cannot do everything, but we're gonna do all that we can and this is another step in that direction. And for that, I move adoption. Thank you.

Okay. Chair recognizes. Alderman Bregalis.

Thank you, mister chair. I ask to be added as a co sponsor.

Let the record reflect co sponsorship of Alderman Bergelis. Alderman Bergelis, Bergelis, did you want to say something?

I just wanted to ask if we could hear some public

testimony. Okay.

Thank you,

mister chair.

Anyone else? Any other questions or concerns by our committee? If not, I'd I'd ask miss Newman Ortiz to come up. I know you've asked me about public testimony so the floor is yours. You wanna join the table when she's done you could just introduce yourself for the record and

Christine Numenortis, Vosas de la Frontera. I'm here to formally present this statement that Vosas de la Frontera, first and foremost, applauds the leadership of the Milwaukee Common Council members, Mayor Johnson, who just recently stood in solidarity with immigrant families, communities of color, and civil society that have been targeted by ICE and CBP through their unconstitutional, aggressive, and lethal enforcement tactics. Milwaukee has taken a very important step by formally condemning the federal government's policy of mass deportation, calling for an end to ICE as an institution, and urging congress to create humane legal pathways for immigrants. Today, Vosas de la Frontera is here to ask committee members to stand with our community once again and support the resolution that would prohibit city owned or controlled parking lots, ramps, vacant lots, parks, garages from being used as staging grounds, processing sites, or operational basis for civil immigration enforcement. It also establishes that nonpublic areas of city owned or controlled buildings cannot be used for civil immigration enforcement without a judicial warrant or when otherwise required by law.

This policy is about defending constitutional rights and protecting our community. Across the country, we have all witnessed enforcement tactics that rely on racial profiling, warrantless arrests based on administrative immigration paperwork rather than judicial warrants, denial of due process, and enforcement strategies that are designed to instill fear rather than to promote safety. These tactics undermine trust, break up loving families, and make entire communities afraid to interact with public institutions. This resolution sends a clear message. Milwaukee will not allow its public property to be used as a platform for intimidation, racial profiling, or violations of our constitutional rights.

It also aligns with existing county policy and it further affirms the authority of local government to protect the safety of their residents and refuse to facilitate escalated militarized immigration enforcement operations in our neighborhoods and around our schools. It aligns with the MPD policy on immigration enforcement that upholds the judicial warrant standard as well as for the Milwaukee County sheriff. Immigrants are not outsiders in the city. They are essential to its strength, vitality, growth, prosperity. They are consumers, taxpayers, small business owners, homeowners, renters, workers, students, parishioners, and community leaders.

Every summer as a city, we celebrate the cultural traditions that immigrants have brought to the city, traditions that have flourished on indigenous good land. I commend you for introducing this resolution because this is not just symbolic, it's a real exercise of local leadership. And the moment is urgent. Just yesterday, you all may have seen that media outlets reported that a 28 year old U. S.

Citizen, Sunny Nakfe, was arrested at the Chicago O'Hare Airport and detained for forty three hours before being released from the Dodge County Detention Facility. Five of her coworkers, all individuals with legal status, were detained as well, and their status remains uncertain. If you all recall, early on under the Trump administration, Telemundo reported that a grandmother, mother, and grandchild were arrested for speaking Spanish by ICE. And then when they realized that they're US citizens, released them. In Minnesota, it's not just immigrants that have been violently attacked, but people of color with legal status, Latinos, Somalians, Hmong, and Native Americans.

And obviously the death of those people who are standing in solidarity with them against these abuses. So this is exactly why cities need to be prepared. So I commend you for stepping forward and doing getting ahead of this situation. It's something that we don't hope for. And we stand with you. Thank you.

Thank you. Ma'am, would you like to introduce yourself for the record?

Okay. My name is Anne Ritchie, and I work with Indivisible, the Immigrant Solidarity in Action Committee at First Unitarian, as well as Comite de las Fronteras. There are a lot of people in those groups who I think probably would have been here except there was such short notice that this meeting was happening. But there are a lot of really strong feelings about what's been happening in our country and I feel super, super proud of the Common Council, the resolutions that were passed last week, I think really kind of show the way forward. We need to have actual laws that we need to have something legal in place.

I think that's what the resolution today does so that, you know, we do protect all the people in Milwaukee.

Thank you. Sir? My name

is Michael Pointer Mace. I'm the co chair of the immigrant solidarity and action committee with Anne from the First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee and I just like to say a little bit about places of worship and sensitive locations. I note in the resolution that whereas cities have documented aggressive actions where federal agents and agencies near schools, workplaces and places of worship have created fear and trauma among residents. Before Operation Metro Surgeon Minneapolis, I believe that the clarity of the Bill of Rights did not require specific city legislation. I believe that the rejection of masked federal agents and the decent treatment of children were American values and were self evident.

The resolution that the Common Council has put together addresses the needs to protect Milwaukeeans against the surge of masked federal ICE agents. As a long time Milwaukee Bayview neighborhood homeowner, I'd like to thank Alderson Demetjievich for being a co sponsor of this resolution and I would like to just say that there's just some common sense parts to a civil society. There's certain locations that need to be places that anyone residents in our neighbors have access to and these are places like places of worship, schools and courthouses. And when people don't feel like they can use these institutions, it breaks down our civil society. So I want to thank the sponsors and for the leadership that the common council is showing.

So thank you.

Thank you. Thank you all of you for being here and testify today. Any further questions? Mister chair. Alder Brower. Yeah.

Thank you so much, chair. I just wanted to express my support for this. I'm so proud to be a cosponsor. Thank you for leading on this, alderperson, Jocasta. Just wanna say that, you know, we should pass this today. We should get this in front of the council as soon as possible. The time is urgent as Christine said from Voces that we that we take as much action as we possibly can and do everything that we can to support our immigrant friends and neighbors and constituents. Thank you all. Okay. Thank you.

Last call. Mister chair? Alderman Cox.

Thank you, mister chair. Is somebody from the city attorney's office president?

Yes. They are.

So I I have a question. A couple of months ago, I saw a news story about ICE or some other federal agency, and they were, I guess, planning or whatever. And they were at the the training facility for the horses for MPD. Mhmm. And a a a volunteer asked them to leave, and that volunteer was later let go. That's what the story was about, the volunteer.

I see.

But it but as we talk about this legislation, it makes me think. And I asked for a city attorney because I was wondering, is the facility where they have the horses for MPD, is that considered a city facility? Would that count under this legislation to not be a place where ICE or agencies like that could do their business?

I don't know what the status of the facility is. It apply but the resolution applies to city owned or controlled facilities. I can't speak to this particular facility. If we wanted to go any further to we did notice this for closed session.

Mister chair? Yes. I believe that facility is privately owned and leased to the city.

Yep. It is.

Because that was a big dispute actually.

Yeah. That's what I I knew it was something extra with that particular facility. And since it has been used by some federal agencies because of that news story, I just want so would a lease, would a lease cover this or no? It has to be ownership.

Leased property is excluded. Oh.

Alright. I'm I'm not gonna make us go on a closed session for that, but it is something I would love to discuss further with the with the city attorney's office. Thank you.

Okay. Mister Chair. Alderman Brower. Yeah. Thank you so much. And let's

just let's I do have the article here from WISN 12. The individual who courageously brought that forward is Heather Asinabe. I believe it's how you said her last name. So thank you to Heather for bringing this forward. Unfortunately, that nonprofit let her go, so shame on them.

And I'm I'm disappointed. I guess I you know, is there a way that we could amend this file right here to include places that we lease or have control over as well? Or maybe that's a potential for future action. I'd be curious what we're able to do as soon as possible here. And I hope that anybody, you know, from Milwaukee police who's listening is hearing that the members of the common council leadership in this city, the mayor just signed our resolutions that we passed on Tuesday. The mayor signed those on Friday, is is hearing us loud and clear that this kind of behavior, whether from this nonprofit or anybody with an MPD is is condemned within the city of Milwaukee.

Okay. Thank you. Any further discussion? No?

Not in public.

Okay. Alright. The motion by elder woman Dimitrivich. Well, she's not there now on the board.

We have the motion. Alright.

The motion by Aldoma Samaripa is to move adoption of item two, file two five one six three four. Are there any objections to that motion? Hearing none, so ordered. Thank you so much. And there being no further business before this committee, we are adjourned. Thank you.