GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) — State Representative Amaad Rivera-Wagner (D-Green Bay) has sent a letter to U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson requesting an investigation into potential civil rights violations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), following the deportation of an Oshkosh educator and detention of a Wisconsin State Patrol trooper.
Wendy Mendez, recognized as an Employee of the Year, was deported amid questions surrounding notice of her immigration hearing. State Trooper Carel Aaron Van Der Merwe was detained while boarding a domestic flight, despite holding federal work authorization and having a pending asylum case. He was subsequently released under federal supervision.
“When an award-winning teacher can be deported and a Wisconsin State Trooper detained, something is deeply broken,” said Rivera-Wagner. “These are people who educate our children and protect our communities. If even they aren’t spared from the chaos and cruelty of Trump’s ICE, imagine the fear facing families without their resources or public attention. We can enforce our laws without abandoning our Constitution or our humanity.”
Rivera-Wagner previously authored legislation expanding access to immigration legal services and strengthening law enforcement identification and accountability requirements, which he plans to reintroduce. He also praised organizations like Voces de la Frontera for educating residents about their rights and called for an end to Brown County’s 287(g) agreement, which authorizes local deputies to perform certain federal immigration enforcement functions.
“I have sat with Hmong families afraid of losing everything they’ve built and Latino neighbors worried they could disappear on the way to pick up their children. And we watched Alex Pretti, a young man who grew up in Green Bay, lose his life while trying to help someone in distress,” Rivera-Wagner continued. “This is not what public safety looks like. We can enforce immigration laws, protect our borders, and keep our communities safe without abandoning our humanity or the Constitution. Love is an action, and that means demanding answers, protecting our neighbors, and holding federal agents accountable when they violate people’s rights.”
Rivera-Wagner is urging both senators to investigate potential due process violations and strengthen federal oversight of ICE.
