Your city and state of birth?
Your national origin?
The Dane County Equal Opportunity Commission wants to stop Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney from asking those questions of new inmates at the county jail. Some committee members have said the questions seek too much information about an inmate's immigration status. They are concerned Mahoney is using the information to tag illegal aliens for federal immigration authorities.
Mahoney says he has no plans to change his policy.
"I think it is imperative that all law enforcement agencies continue to work together," he says. "I believe I am doing that and abiding by the least obtrusive means in which to address the needs of the community."
He says the questions are only asked of people who are about to be booked into the county jail. Deputies are not required to ask the questions during traffic stops or other similar incidents, according to Mahoney.
"This is simply a tool we use to identify individuals positively," he says. "We have to protect the safety of inmates in the jail."
Some EOC members have also argued that the rule creates an undue hardship on families of jailed illegal immigrants because often Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities will place holds or seek deportation of illegal aliens in county jails.
Mahoney says he has no control over what action is taken by the feds.
News/Talk 1310 WIBA has obtained a snapshot of recent county jail bookings involving undocumented immigrants. The report outlines 46 arrests where ICE was notified. Holds were placed on 12 of the inmates. Four of the inmates were deported.
The EOC meets Wednesday night to discuss its concerns with Mahoney. Mahoney says he'll be there to listen and take the concerns under advisement. The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. in Room 310 of the City-County Building in Madison.
The EOC has no authority to dictate sheriff department policy.
Mahoney says the people concerned about the immigration status reporting rule have not talked with him since March, the last time a county committee reviewed the policy.
