The FBI in conjunction with ICE agents arrested 21 illegal individuals in the Manitowoc County area, September 25, 2025. (Photo courtesy of FBI-Milwaukee)
Forward Latino, a Wisconsin-based civil rights advocacy group, held a press conference following recent ICE activity in the state, including arrests in Manitowoc.
According to a press release, the purpose of the press conference was to “share remarks regarding recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity and reports in the State of Wisconsin.”
On Sept. 25, ICE and FBI Milwaukee announced they had arrested 21 people, nine of which were suspected to be involved with the sexual assault and/or trafficking of minors, in Manitowoc.
Five days later, it was announced the number of people arrested was 24 and all of them were suspected to be involved with a transnational human trafficking and drug trafficking ring.
However, there has been no official documentation, like a criminal complaint, to support their suspected involvement.
Those who spoke today include Darryl Morin, National President, Forward Latino, Jennifer Maldonado, Executive Director, Crusaders of Justicia, Manitowoc, and Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera, among others.
Hours after news of the arrests, Voces de la Frontera said it had connected with some of the families and legal support.
That allowed them to give us insight as to where some of those arrested are.
According to Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera, “We know now that three of the six workers in Manitowoc have already been deported, and another one has been moved to a detention center outside of Wisconsin.”
We also know that one of the six who was identified is in the Manitowoc County Jail.
Some of the questions remaining are —
Where are the remaining people being held?
What is the current status of their cases?
Are they facing federal charges?
A statement from the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin reads:
“We need full transparency into exactly what happened during the raid, and we must ensure that everyone impacted can fully exercise the rights guaranteed to them under the law.”
“This narrative that is trying to be pushed, without any basis, trying to paint a negative image of an entire community,” said Neumann-Ortiz.
“I fear now, with recent actions that we’re seeing and learning of here in the state of Wisconsin, that we’re going to be turning the page and entering a new chapter, a new sad chapter, in immigration enforcement right here in our great state,” said Morin.
Our requests for comments from ICE have been met with a referral to its press release from earlier this week.
It states that the operation was driven by intelligence that was received after interviewing victims – including children – of the trafficking and drug ring.
An email to the FBI Milwaukee was met with the following reply:
“During the current lapse in appropriations, FBI operations are directed toward national security, violations of federal law, and essential public safety functions. Inquiries outside of these functions will be considered when the lapse in appropriations ends.”
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