FILE - Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers gives the annual State of the State address, Jan. 22, 2025, at the state Capitol in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)
Wisconsin governor says he’s not afraid after Trump official suggests possible arrest
MADISON, Wis. (AP) 鈥 Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said Friday that every American should be concerned about 鈥渃hilling鈥 suggestions from President Donald Trump’s top border adviser that he could be arrested over guidance the Democrat issued to state employees about what to do if confronted by federal immigration agents.
FILE - Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers gives the annual State of the State address, Jan. 22, 2025, at the state Capitol in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)
MADISON, Wis. (AP) 鈥 Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said Friday that every American should be concerned about 鈥渃hilling鈥 suggestions from President Donald Trump’s top border adviser that he could be arrested over guidance the Democrat issued to state employees about what to do if confronted by federal immigration agents.
鈥淚鈥檓 not afraid,鈥 Evers said in the posted on YouTube. 鈥淚鈥檝e never once been discouraged from doing the right thing and I will not start today.鈥
At issue is issued last month in response to state workers who asked what they should do if agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement show up at their offices.
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Evers’ guidance advised them to contact an attorney immediately and ask the officers to return if an attorney is unavailable. The memo also advises state workers not to turn over paper files or give ICE officers access to computers without first consulting the state agency’s attorney and not to answer questions from the agents.
The recommendations are similar to guidance that Connecticut鈥檚 Democratic governor . The guidelines what the National Immigration Law Center and other advocacy groups have said should be done when immigration officials show up at a workplace.
Republican critics argued that the guidance was an order from Evers not to cooperate with ICE agents, an accusation the governor vehemently denied in Friday’s video. The goal of the guidance was to give state employees 鈥渃lear, consistent instructions鈥 to ensure they have a lawyer present to help them comply with all applicable laws, Evers said.
He accused Republicans of lying about the guidance and spreading misinformation to fuel a 鈥渇ake controversy of their own creation.鈥
鈥淚 haven鈥檛 broken the law,鈥 Evers said. 鈥淚 haven鈥檛 committed a crime and I鈥檝e never encouraged or directed anyone to break any laws or commit any crimes.鈥
Tom Homan, Trump’s top border adviser, was asked about the Evers memo by reporters outside the White House on Thursday. Homan said, 鈥淲ait to see what’s coming,鈥 when asked about the memo.
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“You cannot support what we鈥檙e doing, and you can support sanctuary cities if that鈥檚 what you want to do, but if you cross that line to impediment or knowingly harboring and concealing an illegal alien, that鈥檚 a felony and we鈥檙e treating it as such,鈥 Homan said.
Some Republicans embraced the possibility of Evers being arrested. Republican Wisconsin state Rep. Calvin Callahan posted a on social media showing Trump in a police uniform behind a grim-faced Evers in handcuffs outside of the state Capitol.
The comments from Homan and Evers’ response come a week after Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan was on two felony charges. She is accused of helping a man evade immigration authorities by escorting him and his attorney out of her courtroom through the jury door last week after learning that federal officers were seeking his arrest.
