Immigration Agents Arrest Dozens in Rural Western Wisconsin Towns Amid Deportation Efforts

Federal immigration agents expanded operations from the Minneapolis metropolitan area into rural western Wisconsin earlier in 2024, arresting dozens of people in smaller towns within St. Croix County. The arrests began around Thanksgiving 2023 and intensified in December 2023, continuing to peak in January and February 2024.

Local estimates indicate more than 50 individuals were detained in Baldwin, a town of about 4,000 residents, with additional arrests in nearby Hudson and River Falls.

Baldwin is over 95% white according to the most recent U.S. census data and has a history of leaning Republican in elections. The town's immigrant population has increased in recent years, contributing to the presence of businesses such as a Latino grocery and a Mexican restaurant on its main street, alongside American restaurants, a pharmacy, and other small enterprises.

Beyond the main street and adjacent highways, the area transitions quickly into farmland. The Mexican restaurant, where multiple workers were arrested in February 2024, remains closed, located across from a travel plaza where federal agents also made arrests.

An Ecuadorian market in a nearby town, targeted by immigration agents, has reopened with a sign instructing visitors to ring the bell before entering. J, a Venezuelan who arrived in the United States in 2023 and requested anonymity due to enforcement fears, reported that federal agents had detained his wife, leaving him to care for their 18-month-old child while the family seeks reunification.

” Agents targeted locations including mobile homes, apartment buildings, ethnic restaurants, grocery stores, roads used by commuters, and a large home improvement store.

The operations align with broader immigration enforcement efforts under the administration's policies, including plans for increased deportations announced by President Trump. While arrests have decreased in recent weeks, many residents remain cautious and are staying indoors to avoid encounters.

Mutual aid networks continue to provide groceries, supplies, and transportation to families affected by deportations or those fearing arrests, with several such instances reported daily prior to the recent lull.

Local organizers, including Denise Flaherty, who assists immigrants, and Jenelle Ludwig Krause, who formed the group Safe Neighbors, have sought greater transparency from local officials and police regarding their interactions with federal agents. Krause stated, “This is a super important fight,” and added, “I care very deeply about what happens in Baldwin and what kind of community I’m part of.

” Megan Timmerman, a lifelong Baldwin resident, organized a vigil following related events in Minneapolis and described feeling helpless amid the visible enforcement activities near her home.

The reasons for the heavy focus on Baldwin are unclear, though its location off a major highway may have contributed. Protests erupted in the Twin Cities area as agents moved outward, with residents tracking federal vehicles. As enforcement continues, affected communities face challenges in family reunification, economic disruptions from business closures, and heightened tensions in rural areas not traditionally associated with large-scale immigration actions.

Future operations could expand further, impacting additional small towns across the United States.