Anti-sanctuary city bill in Madison isn’t deterring La Crosse’s mayor

Kabat thinks legislators are missing point of promoting public safety.

Work in Madison on a sanctuary cities bill hasn’t deterred La Crosse Mayor Tim Kabat.

He seems unimpressed by Wisconsin Republican lawmakers’ latest attempts to punish cities that don’t enforce federal immigration laws. 

Kabat thinks those legislators are missing the point of promoting public safety.

“What is the goal?” Kabat asked. “Is the goal to lock everybody up or is the goal to keep our community safe?

“I think we would start with that, then have those conversations.”

The latest bill would ban local governments from putting into place any rule that would prevent federal immigration laws from being enforced. Those who don’t could face a reduction of state aid of up to $5,000 a day.

The recently proposed bill is similar to one that failed to pass in Madison last year. 

While Kabat hasn’t called La Crosse a sanctuary city, he does insist that the city’s police department won’t start enforcing federal laws.

“Our police force does not have the time to become immigration agents and check everybody’s papers that they encounter,” Kabat said.

The alternative seems much simpler.

“Let’s really engage people and treat them as human beings and figure out how the vast majority of folks just want to live and raise their families,” Kabat said.