OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — At February's public safety committee meeting, the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office defended its long standing cooperation with ICE, while several members of the community asked the sheriff to end the cooperation.
- Sheriff John Matz says Winnebago County has worked with federal immigration enforcement for 25 years.
- Matz says the Sheriff's Office call's ICE on people who've already been arrested on criminal charges.
- In 2025, Winnebago County detained 17 people for ICE, turning over 10.
There was more than 30 minutes of public comment at the judiciary and public safety committee meeting on Monday, Feb. 2.
Every person who spoke was against any partnership between the Sheriff's Office and federal immigration enforcement.
"Public safety depends on trust, and trust ends when residents fear that contact with local law enforcement could lead to immigration consequences," Andy Thoman said during public comment.
They all asked the sheriff to exit the 287 (g) agreement with the federal government.
"Partnering with ICE, as a county, is wrong," TeaJay Hobbs said during public comment.
Essentially, a 287 (g) agreement maps out a partnership between local law enforcement and federal immigration operations.
Counties can choose to engage in any of the three models under the 287 (g) agreement. Winnebago County uses the Warrant Service Officer model, according to Sheriff Matz.
As part of the Warrant Service Officer model, local deputies are not actively searching for undocumented immigrants.
"For us to notify ICE about any individual, they have to be in our jail on a criminal charge," Matz says. "There is no other contact with ice."
Matz says he has no intention of exiting the agreement.
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In 2025, the Sheriff's Office says they notified ICE 151 times about people in custody who did not have a legal immigration status. Out of those 151 calls, 17 were placed on detainer by ICE.
The Sheriff's Office turned over ten of the people placed on detainer to ICE, transferred four to another agency and continue to house three in their jail.
"There is no additional expense to the taxpayer because they're being held here on a criminal charge, not the detainer," Matz says.
The Sheriff's Office receives money from the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, which provides payments for detaining undocumented immigrants who have at least one felony or two misdemeanor convictions.
Each year, Winnebago County receives about $2,500 from SCAAP, which is used to purchase items for inmates, like clothing and hygiene items, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Matz says they will call ICE for people who have been arrested– they do not have to be charged.
"What we're doing now is what we've done for 25 years," Matz says.
Those who spoke at public comment are still concerned that what is happening in Minneapolis and other cities will make its way to Winnebago County.
"If it's not stopped soon it'll reach every community, every every town," Michael Krueger said during public comment. "They're not going to stop."
During the meeting, Sheriff Matz released local ICE statistics for January 2026. In the last month, they've made 13 notifications to ICE and placed three people on ICE detainers.
Sheriff Matz says they will continue to release monthly ICE statistics each month during the public safety committee meetings.
