Deadly Crash Prompts ICE Hold Discussion
MADISON (WKOW) — A fatal crash on I-90 near Deforest involving an undocumented woman has ignited a controversy surrounding immigration enforcement.
Noelia Martinez, 25, is charged with nine offenses, including homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle, after allegedly driving the wrong way and colliding with another vehicle on July 28, killing two Minnesota teenagers—18-year-old Hallie Helgelson and 19-year-old Brady Heiling.
Martinez is currently held in the Dane County Jail, with a bond set at $250,000. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has criticized the Dane County Sheriff’s Office for not complying with an ICE detainer if Martinez posts bond. According to DHS, “per local policy, Dane County does not honor ICE arrest detainers.”
Sheriff Kalvin Barrett responded, stating that an ICE detainer is a request and not a judicial warrant. “If ICE can provide a judge’s warrant, we will hold the individual,” he said, emphasizing concerns over constitutional rights.
Previously, Martinez was convicted of operating while intoxicated (OWI) in 2020, but it was treated as a traffic violation. Barrett noted that DHS and ICE have access to their custody records, stating, “If they want someone, they can come and get them.”
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin condemned sanctuary policies, asserting they jeopardize public safety by releasing undocumented individuals with prior criminal records back into the community.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing, with no additional details about emergency response or lane closures reported at this time.