Border Czar Homan Threatens WI Governor Evers for Advising State Workers to Consult a Lawyer If ICE Makes Demands

Federal border czar Tom Homan made a statement to reporters that seemed to be a threat to arrest Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, a Democrat, for directing state employees to consult an attorney if Immigration and Customs Enforcement demands access to state files.

Evers issued guidance after state employees asked what to do if ICE agents demand access to state records. The guidance said to stay calm, ask the agents for their names and badges to verify their identity, ask their purpose for being there, ask for a valid warrant or other documentation, and tell them to have a seat. Then state employees should call the Office of Legal Council to consult with a lawyer.

The guidance advised employees not to answer questions from agents, not to allow access to paper files and computer systems until after they have consulted an attorney, and not to let agents into areas that are “nonpublic” without a judicial warrant to do so.

This is similar to guidelines issued in January by Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, also a Democrat. In both instances, the guidance is close to recommendations by the National Immigration Law Center and other advocacy groups for what to do when immigration agents appear at a workplace. The recommendations are designed to ensure that workers comply with applicable laws despite any pressure from agents.

Homan replied, “Wait to see what’s coming. You can not support what we’re doing and you can support sanctuary cities if that’s what you want to do, but if you cross that line of impediment or knowingly harboring or concealing an illegal alien, that is a felony and we’ll treat it as such.”

In a video statement to Wisconsonites, Evers said he is not afraid of Homan’s threat:

A Trump Administration official, in not so many words, apparently threatened to arrest me… The goal of this guidance was simple — to provide clear, consistent instructions to state employees and ensure they have a lawyer to help them comply with all federal and state laws. Nothing more, nothing less. But Republicans and their right-wing allies, including Elon Musk, lied about this guidance, spread misinformation, accused me of doing things I didn’t do or say, and fueled a fake controversy of their own creation.

I haven’t broken the law. I haven’t committed a crime, and I’ve never encouraged or directed anyone to break any laws or commit any crimes.

In this country, the federal government doesn’t get to abuse its power to threaten everyday Americans. In this country, the federal government doesn’t get to arrest American citizens who have not committed a crime. In this country, we don’t threaten to persecute people just because they belong to a different political party,” Evers said. 

These threats represent a concerning trajectory in this country. We now have a federal government that will threaten or arrest an elected official—or even everyday American citizens—who have broken no laws, committed no crimes, and done nothing wrong. As disgusted as I am about the continued actions of the Trump Administration, I am not afraid. I have never once been discouraged from doing the right thing, and I will not start today.

Republicans promptly piled on, agitating for Evers to be arrested. State Representative Calvin Callahan (R-Tomahawk) went so far as to post an AI-generated image of Evers in handcuffs and said “stick him in the same cell as the Milwaukee judge!” (Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested last week, accused of impeding the arrest of an immigrant in her courtroom after agents showed up with an administrative warrant rather than the required judicial warrant.)

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