HUMSI — Human Security Initiative

Human Impact Project

A living database documenting reported immigration enforcement incidents and their human impact.

ICE arrests in Wisconsin surge to record highs in summer 2025

Location: Milwaukee, WI

ICE arrests in Wisconsin surge to record highs in summer 2025

A new data analysis by Wisconsin Watch found that ICE arrests in Wisconsin jumped from at least 119 in May to 220 in June 2025, with arrests concentrated in southeastern Wisconsin, particularly Milwaukee. Since January 2025, more than 2,100 people have been detained in Wisconsin, and while 70 percent of arrests occurred in jails or prisons, an increasing share are happening at homes, on streets, and at courthouses. Erin Barbato, director of the Immigrant Justice Center at the University of Wisconsin Law School, said the surge has created fear among immigrant communities and described people being detained during routine ICE check-ins at the Milwaukee field office. She also noted detention facility conditions vary widely, citing a client with diabetes who has struggled to get medication.

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