Dozens of protesters gathered at a Green Bay park this afternoon. They went to express their concerns about Brown County's agreement with immigration enforcement. Jan. 20, 2026. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Dozens of protesters gathered at a Green Bay park Tuesday afternoon to express their opposition toward the Brown County Jail’s work with immigration enforcement.
Bitter cold temperatures didn’t freeze these passionate anti-ICE protesters at Harvey Street Park. Demonstrators said they want the jail to end its contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“Why should we cooperate with something that is so illegal and morally horrible?” Kristi Zahn said.
For more than 20 years, Brown County has had an agreement to hold federal inmates in its jail. That contract was updated this past spring to include people in the custody of ICE.
Protesters said they’re tired of seeing people be forced from their homes and just want peace.
“We’re out here to make a demand that that contract end with Brown County and get ICE out of our neighborhoods,” Sunny Lange said.
“It is shameful that we have a department in our government that is designed to tear away families, to murder people who are innocently observing the process in our communities,” Dalton Panske said.
President Donald Trump continues to defend ICE’s work.
“All ICE wants to do is get them out of our country. Bring them to prisons and jails and mental institutions from where they came. That’s all they want to do,” Trump said.
During a news conference Tuesday in which he discussed his first year back in office, Trump flipped through a stack of pictures showing dozens of people that have been arrested by ICE in Minnesota. He said ICE is just trying to keep Americans safe.
“They want to take them out of our country and we’re met with paid agitators and insurrectionists, trouble makers. They’re paid,” Trump claimed.
The Brown County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement:
On numerous occasions the Sheriff has made the following statement related to immigration:
1. The Brown County Sheriff’s Office primary focus is public safety.
2. The Brown County Sheriff’s Office has been and will continue to be a good partner to all federal, state and local law-enforcement agencies.
3. Immigration is a federal issue.
As indicated from the beginning, Brown County has a long history of being a good partner to other law enforcement agencies at the local, state and federal level. Brown County partners with local agencies, such as in the Brown County Drug Task Force and Fire Investigation Task Force, with State agencies, including the State of Wisconsin’s Department of Justice response to Internet Crimes Against Children and the Federal government with the US Marshals Task Force, DEA Task Force, FBI and Department of Homeland Security, which includes ICE. The Brown County Jail has been housing federal inmates, under contract since 2001. Brown County’s role is that of a federal detention facility, not an immigration enforcement agency that you would see in the community. All these partnerships are important to public safety and keeping Brown County safe!
The sheriff’s office said it is not aware of any current or future ICE activity in Brown County.
The office of Republican Rep. Tony Wied, 8th District, provided this statement:
ICE is enforcing federal law and carrying out its mission on behalf of the American people. I trust the Brown County Sheriff’s Department and I am confident they will continue to collaborate with ICE to remove criminals from our streets and keep our neighborhoods safe. In Northeast Wisconsin, we believe in the rule of law and that includes enforcing our federal immigration laws.
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