Milwaukee woman says Greendale officer profiled her at traffic stop

A Milwaukee woman has filed a racial profiling complaint with Greendale police, claiming that an officer pulled her over based on her appearance, asking for her immigration status and Social Security number.

Katherine Torres, who works as a medical assistant in a Greendale medical clinic, was on her lunch break Wednesday when she was pulled over by a police officer, she said. Before taking her license and insurance information, the officer first asked whether Torres was a U.S. citizen. He then asked for and wrote down her Social Security number, she said at a news conference Friday.

“I got really nervous,” Torres said. “But I shut down and kept going, answering the questions the officer was asking.”

Voces de la Frontera, a workers’ and immigrants’ rights group, used the incident to spotlight a state bill that would fine local governments if they fail to uphold state or federal laws regarding undocumented immigrants or immigration status.

“This is an example of what will become normal if AB 190 will be passed by the state Legislature,” said Christine Neumann-Ortiz, the group’s executive director. She added that the bill would green light increased incidents of racial profiling and harassment as well as undermine public safety.

Torres, 25, is a U.S. citizen born in Los Angeles to immigrant parents. She moved to Wisconsin when she was 5.

The officer told her he had stopped her because her front license plate was missing, she said. He issued her a $10 ticket for not wearing a seat belt.

The bottom portion of the ticket she received, where the officer’s name would have been recorded, was cut off, Torres added.

Torres said she still has no idea why the officer recorded her Social Security number. “What are you doing with those numbers?” she said. “That’s my identity.”

Torres filed her complaint with Greendale police Friday. Neumann-Ortiz also requested a meeting with Greendale Police Chief Robert Malasuk.

Authorities had no comment. A spokeswoman said Malasuk was not in the office Friday.

Incidents like this one, Neumann-Ortiz said, could soon become legal and commonplace with the potential passage of state legislation such as SB 275 and its companion bill AB 190. Detractors say the bill, also known as “anti-sanctuary” legislation, would effectively require police officers to act as immigration agents.