Thousands of people are expected to rally in downtown Madison on Thursday morning. Latino immigrants and their supporters will attend a “A Day Without Latinos” event outside the state Capitol. Organizers say the mobilization is expected to begin at 9:30, and the crowd will mean traffic will be rerouted on streets in and around the Capitol Square.
The rally is in response to a pair of bills which organizers characterize as anti-immigrant. One measure, aimed at stopping the creation of so-called sanctuary cities in Wisconsin has cleared the state Assembly. It would prevent local governments from creating policies that prohibit law enforcement from asking about the immigration status of someone charged with a crime.
The second bill would prohibit county and town governments from issuing – or spending money on – photo identification cards. The bill would also prohibit an ID card issued by a city or village from being used for voting or registration for voting, or for obtaining public benefits. That measure has passed both chambers of the legislature and is ready for Governor Scott Walker’s signature.