The new bill authored by State Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez seeks to limit state and local involvement in immigration-related detentions, focusing on protecting access to public and community spaces, according to the Wisconsin State Assembly.
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature’s official website, the bill was described as follows: “requirements concerning assistance in the detention of individuals who are or are alleged to be not lawfully present in the United States”.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill prohibits officials, employees, or agents of state agencies or local governmental units, including law enforcement officers, from assisting in the detention of individuals solely based on their alleged unlawful presence in the United States if such detention occurs in public buildings, schools, places of worship, childcare, or healthcare facilities. It allows access to these locations only with a properly executed judicial warrant. Additionally, no employee or individual lawfully present in these facilities can be required to facilitate detentions by federal officials without a warrant. The bill also restricts the expenditure of state funds to support detentions based solely on immigration status.
The bill was co-authored by Senator Tim Carpenter (Democrat-3rd District), Representative Margaret Arney (Democrat-18th District), Representative Mike Bare (Democrat-80th District), Representative Brienne Brown (Democrat-43rd District), Representative Ryan M. Clancy (Democrat-19th District). It was co-sponsored by Senator Dora E. Drake (Democrat-4th District), Senator Chris Larson (Democrat-7th District), and Senator Melissa Ratcliff (Democrat-16th District), along 17 other co-sponsors.
Sylvia Ortiz-Velez has co-authored or authored another six bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.
Ortiz-Velez graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a BS.
Ortiz-Velez, a Democrat, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2021 to represent the state’s 8th Assembly district, replacing previous state representative JoCasta Zamarripa.
In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| AB57 | 02/24/2025 | Requirements concerning assistance in the detention of individuals who are or are alleged to be not lawfully present in the United States |
