Immigration (Sanctuary Policies)

AB 843 would require all law enforcement officers and tribal law enforcement officers in the state to be U.S. citizens. This bill directly affects individuals seeking or currently holding these law enforcement positions, including tribal officers. The key provision creates a new statutory requirement stating: "No person may be employed as a law enforcement officer or tribal law enforcement officer unless that person is a citizen of the United States." The bill does not alter existing hiring practices for other public safety roles, focusing solely on citizenship as a mandatory qualification for these specific law enforcement positions.

SB 287 requires state agencies, local governments, and contractors working with government to verify employees' work eligibility through the federal E-Verify program before hiring. It prohibits contracts with employers not enrolled in E-Verify or knowingly employing individuals flagged as ineligible by the program. The bill mandates written verification statements in all contracts and allows termination of violating agreements. This applies to all state procurement, construction contracts, and local government hiring starting from the effective date, with an exception if the federal E-Verify program ends.

AB 281 requires state agencies and contractors to verify employees' work eligibility through the federal E-Verify program before hiring or awarding government contracts. It prohibits contracts with employers not enrolled in E-Verify or who knowingly hire workers flagged as ineligible by the program. Contracts must include written verification statements, and violations require immediate termination without liability for uncompleted work. The law applies to state procurement, construction, and local government hiring, but stops if the federal E-Verify program ends.

SB 311 prohibits state and local government funds - including those from counties, cities, towns, and federal funds passing through the state treasury - from covering health care services for individuals not lawfully present in the U.S. It directly affects undocumented immigrants seeking health care in Wisconsin. The bill creates a new statute (20.926) banning such funding, with two exceptions: it does not apply if federal law requires payment, or if applying the ban would cause the state to lose federal funds. This policy change restricts public funding for health services based solely on immigration status.

AB 24 requires Wisconsin county sheriffs to verify the immigration status of individuals jailed for felony offenses by requesting specific documentation (such as passports, birth records, or immigration documents) to confirm lawful presence in the U.S. If verification fails, sheriffs must notify federal Homeland Security and comply with federal detainer requests. Sheriffs must annually report compliance and maintain records of individuals found unlawfully present, with data shared with the state justice department. Counties failing to comply face a 15% reduction in state funding for the following year. The bill directly affects felony inmates, sheriffs, and state-local funding relationships.