Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee-area restaurants open Christmas 2024 for dine-in or takeout

Published

1 year ago

December 11, 2024

Milwaukee-area restaurants open Christmas 2024 for dine-in or takeout

If dining out for Christmas or finding takeout to bring home is on your wish list, some area restaurants and resorts are ready to help. Here are a few locations offering Christmas Eve or Christmas Day specials for dining in or taking home. Advance reservations and orders are required at most restaurants.

ARIA

Saint Kate’s signature restaurant is open for dining from 4 to 9 p.m. Dec. 24 and Dec. 25. A special prix fixe Christmas menu is priced at $79 per person, or guests may select from items on the regular menu. For reservations, call (414) 270-4422 or visit OpenTable.com. Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel, 139 E. Kilbourn Ave

Bar Louie

The Brookfield Square restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. to midnight Dec. 24 and 4 p.m. to midnight Dec. 25, offering a four-course dinner for two priced at $75. Guests may pick one bar bite to share, a choice of soup or salad for each person, a choice of entree per person, and one dessert to share. Choose from select options such as the Citrus Grilled Salmon or Parmesan Crusted Chicken, and finish the meal with the restaurant’s signature cinnamon doughnut holes. Bar Louie also will offer burger specials, so guests may order a craft burger with fries or tots for only $8. Reservations are not required, but you may call to reserve a table: (262) 505-6319. 95 N. Moorland Road, Brookfield

Benny’s Cafe

Open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Christmas dinner specials include prime rib ($31) with baked potato, roast duck ($24) with dressing and mashed potatoes, baked ham ($18) with mashed potatoes, ribeye ($29) with baked potato, Atlantic salmon ($20) with broccoli and rice, and coconut shrimp ($18) served with french fries. All dine-in dinners include soup or salad, a glass of wine or beer, and dessert. Walk-in customers are welcome; no reservation required. Call for takeout orders at the drive-thru window. (414) 431-0004. 5354 S. 27th St.

Emerald City Catering

Pre-order the whole meal or a la carte items from the menu for Christmas. A la carte items available to order include roast beef in gravy, beef tips, baked ham, roast chicken, uncooked Polish sausage, cooked stuffed chicken breast, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, macaroni and cheese, corn and rolls. See menu online at emeraldcitycatering.com/hollidays, or call (414) 672-3434. 3555 S. 13th St.

Lowlands Group

Christmas Eve brunch will be served from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 24 at all grand cafes, which includes all Cafe Hollander locations, Cafe Benelux and Centraal Grand Cafe & Tappery. Buckatabon Tavern & Supper Club, 7700 Harwood Ave., Wauwatosa, will serve brunch from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. All restaurants will close at 3 p.m. and remain closed on Christmas Day. Reservations are not required. lowlandsgroup.com

Maharaja

The east side Indian restaurant is open Dec. 24 and 25 for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner service from 5 to 9 p.m. A special Christmas buffet is available during lunch hours for $35 per person. Reservations and takeout orders can be placed online at maharajarestaurants.com or by calling the restaurant during business hours: (414) 276-2250. 1550 N. Farwell Ave.

Mason Street Grill

The downtown restaurant offers both its regular menu and a special prix fixe Christmas menu from 4 to 9 p.m. Dec. 24 and 1 to 8 p.m. Dec. 25. The holiday prix fixe menu is priced at $81 per guest and features prime rib with herb whipped potatoes, pancetta Brussels sprouts, and a choice of dessert. Private dining rooms are available for family gatherings. Call for reservations, (414) 298-3131, or visit OpenTable.com. 425 E. Mason St.

The Melting Pot

A special holiday fondue is offered for Christmas Eve from noon to 8 p.m. Pricing is $65 for adults and $30 for children under 12. The set menu features one cheese fondue, a salad, entree and a chocolate fondue. The entree choices are either the Holiday Feast of teriyaki-marinated steak, vanilla rum chicken and apple rosemary pork; or the Holiday Fusion of teriyaki-marinated steak, vanilla rum chicken, salmon and shrimp. A lobster tail ($19) or center-cut filet ($28) may be added to any entree. All entrees include seasonal vegetables and signature dipping sauces. Call for reservations: (262) 782-6358. 19850 W. Blue Mound Road, Brookfield

Mo’s Irish Pub Wauwatosa

Pre-order a to-go meal or dine-in on Christmas Eve from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. A special dine-in dinner of turkey or ham, with all the traditional sides, is priced at $21.99 for adults and $11.99 for children 12 and under. Call for reservations. The pre-order To Go Family Style meal ($159.99) serves 10 to 12 people and is available for pickup. Place your order by Dec. 22 by calling (414) 774- 9782, or email events@mosirishpub.com. 10842 W. Blue Mound Road, Wauwatosa.

Odyssey

The Menomonee Falls restaurant is serving breakfast and lunch from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Reservations and takeout are available; call (262) 255-3036. N82 W15380 Appleton Ave., Menomonee Falls

Old Town Serbian Gourmet Restaurant

The restaurant will open for dining at 5 p.m. Dec. 24 and Dec. 25. Christmas specials and regular menu items are available. Reservations required. Call (414) 672-0206 or visit oldtownserbian.com. 522 W. Lincoln Ave.

The Packing House

Call to reserve a table and order from the full, sit-down Holiday Dinner menu. Dining hours are from 4 to 8 p.m. Dec. 24 and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 25. No takeout or to-go orders will be available. Call (414) 483-5054 or visit packinghousemke.com. 900 E. Layton Ave.

The Pfister Hotel

A Christmas Celebration Brunch is offered in the grand ballroom from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Dec. 25. The buffet includes an assortment of fresh seafood, Wisconsin cheeses, carved meats, omelets made to order, individually customized pastas, holiday salads and starters, an array of entrees, and desserts. Brunch includes a mimosa or bloody mary. $95 for adults, $35 for children 3 to 10 years old (tax and service charge will be added to all reservations). Reservations are required with full pre-payment via credit card. thepfisterhotel.com, 424 E. Wisconsin Ave.

Steak House 100

The West Allis chophouse will offer its full menu on Christmas Eve from 4 to 8 p.m. House specialties include ribs, pork chops, rotisserie chicken and a seafood, chicken or beef tenderloin shish kabob. For reservations, call (414) 727-2222. 7246 W. Greenfield Ave., West Allis

Tre Rivali

A standard breakfast menu is available from 7 to 10:30 a.m. Dec. 24, and a Christmas Day buffet is offered from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 25. Buffet pricing is $85 for adults and $35 for children under 12 years of age and includes complimentary coffee, teas and sodas. The buffet features an artisanal cheese and salami board, waffle bar, assorted toasts and spreads, chive and creme fraiche scrambled eggs, fresh fruit platter, fregola and white bean soup with kale and sausage, Caesar salad, prime rib of beef, Tuscan roast pork, Brussels sprouts and whipped potatoes. Reservations can be made online through OpenTable or directly to the restaurant by phone: (414) 291-3971. 200 N. Broadway

Ward’s House of Prime

The restaurant is open for dining from 4 to 8 p.m. Christmas Eve, or pre-order a prime rib dinner to-go, or just the meat for the holidays. The Dinners To Go menu is available in servings for one ($65), two ($125), four ($250), five to eight ($400), and a whole dinner serving nine to 12 ($625). Dinners include au jus and creamy horseradish, house salad, mushrooms, mashed potatoes and corn. Just the Meat prime rib is available in portions of a quarter ($200), half ($300), or whole ($525). Pick up orders from 1 to 3 p.m. Dec. 24 and noon to 1 p.m. Dec. 25. Order online at wardshouseofprime.com or call for reservations: (414) 223-0135. 540 E. Mason St.

Apple Holler

The Racine County farm offers a full Holiday Take-Home Dinner, a Holiday Dinner Add-Ons menu, and homemade pies for pickup. Pre-order an individual dinner or a group-size dinner serving four to six people. The Apple Cider Bourbon Glazed Ham Dinner ($38.95 individual, $189.95 group), the Turkey Breast Dinner ($39.95 individual, $199.95 group), and the Prime Rib Dinner ($49.95 individual, $249.95 group), all feature mashed potatoes, bacon mac and cheese, apple-bread stuffing, honey-glazed carrots, sweet potato casserole, cranberry-orange relish, dinner rolls and apple butter, apple pie, and Apple Holler apple cider. The Holiday Dinner Add-Ons menu includes additional meat and sides, doughnuts, cornbread, apple pie bread and cider. Homemade pies are priced at $8.35 each and include a variety of fruit, berry, cream and seasonal specialty pies. Pick up from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 21 through Dec. 24. Order online at appleholler.com or call (262) 884-7100. 5006 S. Sylvania Ave., Sturtevant

The Abbey Resort

The resort on the shore of Geneva Lake will offer a Christmas Eve dinner buffet and Christmas Day brunch and dinner buffets in the 240° West Restaurant. The Christmas Eve buffet is served from 4 to 9 p.m. for $75 per person. Christmas Day brunch is served from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for $50 per person. Christmas Day dinner buffet is served from 4 to 9 p.m. for $75 per person. Children (ages 5 to 12) are $25. Call (800) 709-1323 for reservations. View the menus online at theabbeyresort.com 269 Fontana Blvd., Fontana-on-Geneva Lake

Grand Geneva Resort

The resort offers multiple dining options on Dec. 24. A Christmas Eve brunch buffet will be served in the Geneva ChopHouse from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and in Ristorante Brissago from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. with complimentary champagne and mimosas. Pricing is $85 for adults, $40 for children ages 6 to 12 and $15 for children ages 2 to 5. Children age 2 and under are complimentary with each paid adult. The holiday specialties include crispy chicken, roasted cod, short ribs and cheese ravioli. Food stations offer a variety of traditional breakfast items, omelets and eggs Benedict, prime rib, ham, lamb, seafood and shrimp, plus a variety of salads, vegetables, sides and sweets. The Grand Cafe will serve a prime rib and seafood buffet from noon to 9 p.m. Pricing is $59 for adults, $25 for children ages 6 to 12 and $15 for children 2 to 5 years of age. Reservations are required with a credit card. Call (262) 249-4788. grandgeneva.com; 7036 Grand Geneva Way, Lake Geneva.

Lake Lawn Resort

The Walworth County resort is offering a prix fixe menu Christmas Eve and a champagne brunch on Christmas Day at 1878 on the Lake. The Christmas Eve dinner is a prix fixe menu ($85 per person) served from 4 to 9 p.m. Entrees include a choice of prime rib, salmon, a Cornish game hen, wild mushroom risotto, or a surf and turf option of a center-cut filet and lobster tail. The first course offers a choice of butternut squash bisque, Caesar salad or apple and pecan salad. The featured desserts are an eggnog cheesecake or a sticky toffee and figgy bread pudding. A Christmas Day buffet is available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 25. Pricing is $68 for adults, $25 for children ages 8 to 12 years and $14 for children 4 to 7 years. The food stations feature a carvery with prime rib and ham; chicken or salmon entrees; traditional breakfast items of bacon, sausage, pancakes, omelets and waffles; salads, seafood and seasonal fruits and vegetables. A sweets station includes a chocolate rum yule log, Christmas figgy pudding, English trifle martinis, Christmas cookies and fudge brownies cherries jubilee. An additional food station for children features chicken tenders, penne pasta and meatballs, mini corn dogs, waffle fries and baked macaroni and cheese. Make reservations online lakelawnresort.com/events or call (262) 725-9155. 2400 Geneva St., Delavan

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Milwaukee, WI

Things to do in the Milwaukee area this weekend, including Sports Show

Published

7 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Things to do in the Milwaukee area this weekend, including Sports Show

Travel to Ireland, learn how to catch a fish, visit wildlife at the zoo, and see costumed characters this weekend in Milwaukee.

Anime Milwaukee

The 2026 “Magical Academy” themed animation convention comes to the Baird Center, 400 W. Wisconsin Ave., and Hilton Milwaukee City Center March 6-8. The weekend features Japanese industry guests and cultural experts, artists and official merchandise, gaming, music, dance, manga, cosplay, anime and Asian fashion. New this year is the Nocturna Anime Bar with a lounge and specialty drinks, including nonalcoholic beverages. Exhibit hall hours are 1 to 8 p.m. March 6, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 7 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 8. Full weekend access is $100; single day access is $50-$75. animemilwaukee.org

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sports Show

The 85th year of the Sports Show is at State Fair Park’s Wisconsin Exposition Center, 8200 W. Greenfield Ave., West Allis, from noon to 7 p.m. March 6, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 7 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 8. Along with outdoor exhibitors, see what’s swimming in the trout pond, watch the lumberjack show and the fastest retriever race, or catch the archery and air rifle tournaments. General admission tickets at the door are $15; youth tickets (ages 6-14) are $6. In honor of Women’s Day on March 8, all women receive $10 admission at the door. Check out the full schedule at jssportsshow.com.

Gardens & Gears: Steampunk Faire

Celebrate the industrial age at the Gardens & Gears art fair from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 7 at the Mitchell Park Domes, 524 S. Layton Blvd. The immersive garden event features creators, costumes and live entertainment, with gears, goggles and handcrafted mechanical curiosities on display in the gardens. Domes admission required. mitchellparkdomes.com

Milwaukee County Zoo Family Free Day

Everyone receives free admission at the Milwaukee County Zoo, 10001 W. Blue Mound Road, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 7. See the red pandas in their outdoor habitat, lions, penguins and more. Parking and regular attraction fees still apply. milwaukeezoo.org

Irish Family Day

Travel to the Irish countryside during “Passport to Ireland” from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 8 at the CelticMKE Center, 1532 N. Wauwatosa Ave., Wauwatosa. With Irish dance, arts, crafts and storytelling, each county will be featured with an activity that celebrates Irish culture, history and traditions. Buy one, get one free Irish Fest tickets will be available to purchase, with lunch, beverages and snacks served in the Celtic Café. Admission is $10 at the door. celticmke.com

What’s new in Milwaukee-area theaters this weekend

Marcus Theatres: See a marathon of the 2026 Best Picture nominees at select theater locations. Day one of the marathon is March 7 and features “Sentimental Value,” “F1: The Movie,” “The Secret Agent,” “Bugonia,” and “Sinners.” The marathon resumes March 14 with a new set of films. Visit marcustheatres.com.

Milwaukee Film: Women’s History Month programming features the action films of Michelle Yeoh. See her Oscar-winning performance in “Everything Everywhere All At Once” screening at 6 p.m. March 6 at the Oriental Theatre.

“Hoppers”: A robotic animal with a human mind helps real animals thwart a plot to destroy their habitat in this Disney and Pixar feature film. See it at AMC Mayfair Mall; Avalon Theater; Marcus Theatres’ BistroPlex Southridge, Hillside, Majestic, Menomonee Falls, Movie Tavern Brookfield Square, North Shore, Ridge, South Shore cinemas; Rosebud Cinema.

“The Bride!”: A lonely Frankenstein (Christian Bale) travels to 1930s Chicago to ask a scientist (Annette Bening) to create a companion. See it at AMC Mayfair Mall; Marcus Theatres’ BistroPlex Southridge, Hillside, Majestic, Menomonee Falls, Movie Tavern Brookfield Square, North Shore, Ridge, South Shore cinemas.

“Protector”: A veteran war hero (Milla Jovovich) must use the violent skills she thought she left behind to save her daughter. See it at Marcus Theatres’ BistroPlex Southridge, Hillside, Majestic, Menomonee Falls, Movie Tavern Brookfield Square, North Shore, Ridge, South Shore cinemas.

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Milwaukee, WI

MPD officer accused of using Flock cameras to monitor dating partner resigns

Published

19 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

MPD officer accused of using Flock cameras to monitor dating partner resigns

Josue Ayala has resigned from the Milwaukee Police Department days after he was charged with a crime over his alleged misuse of license plate-reading Flock technology.

Ayala, 33, pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted misconduct in public office during his initial court appearance on March 4.

The charge is a misdemeanor that carries a potential maximum penalty of nine months in jail and $10,000 fine.

Milwaukee is one in a growing number of communities nationally that have started using Flock cameras to help locate stolen vehicles, identify vehicles used in violent crimes, and track vehicles associated with missing persons. The technology is controversial and been criticized by civil rights and privacy advocates.

Conducting searches for personal reasons is a violation of department policies.

Prosecutors say Ayala used the Flock camera system while on duty more than 120 times to look up the license plate of someone he was dating. They believe Flock technology also was used on a second license plate, one belonging to that person’s ex, 55 times, according to a criminal complaint, filed Feb. 24 in Milwaukee County Circuit Court.

Ayala joined the Milwaukee Police Department in 2017, and his total gross pay was about $120,000 in 2024, according to the most recent city salary data available.

Milwaukee police confirmed in a March 4 email to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Ayala has resigned from the department.

Ayala and his attorney Michael J. Steinle, of Milwaukee, would not speak to reporters as they left the courtroom.

Prosecutors say the department became aware of the allegations against Ayala after a driver saw that they were the subject of searches through the website, www.haveibeenflocked.com, which collects and publishes “audit logs” of searches of the Flock system by police agencies.

The driver saw that Ayala had searched the plate numerous times, which prompted the driver to file a complaint with the Milwaukee Police Department.

Detectives then audited Ayala’s searches in the Flock system from March 26, 2025, through May 26, 2025.

Ayala is at least the second Wisconsin officer to face criminal charges for misuse of the Flock system. A Menasha police officer was charged in January for tracking an ex-girlfriend’s car.

Milwaukee police began using Flock cameras in 2022. MPD has a $182,900 contract with Flock for the use of the technology. That contract is active through January 2027.

Court Commissioner Dewey B. Martin released Ayala on a $2,500 signature bond March 4.

Signature bonds, sometimes referred to as a personal recognizance bond, allow a defendant to leave custody without paying cash as long as they sign a promise to appear for their upcoming court dates.

Martin also ordered Ayala not to contact the two victims in the case.

Ayala also must report to the Milwaukee County Jail to be booked on March 9. If he doesn’t show up, a bench warrant will be issued for his arrest.

Ayala is scheduled to appear for a pre-trial conference on April 17.

David Clarey of the Journal Sentinel contributed to this story.

Chris Ramirez covers courts for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at caramirez@usatodayco.com.

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Milwaukee, WI

Why are Milwaukee-area students protesting ICE actions?

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Why are Milwaukee-area students protesting ICE actions?

Ever since the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both by federal agents in Minneapolis in January, there have been numerous student protests by high school students across the country – including several in Wisconsin and the Milwaukee area.

Students at Milwaukee Public Schools’ high schools including Milwaukee King, Ronald Reagan, and others; Wauwatosa East High School, Shorewood High School, Menomonee Falls High School, Nicolet High School, Whitefish Bay High School – even one student at Marquette University High School – have all walked out of school to protest Immigrations and Customs’ Enforcement actions in Minneapolis and nationwide.

What is it about ICE’s actions that have students walking out? How are school districts handling it, and what do students and parents think?

UW-Madison political science professor shares thoughts on what’s behind student walkouts

Political science professor emeritus Howard Schweber of the University of Wisconsin-Madison said several factors play into why students are protesting.

One of those factors is that ICE raids have taken place near schools. In some school districts, teachers have been arrested and students have disappeared. In some areas of Minneapolis, schools have had to switch to remote learning because students feared ICE raids, Schweber said.

Second, Schweber said the walkouts tie in to past student protests over guns in schools; high school students are feeling unsafe in their schools.

“They’re feeling threatened by forces, you know, far beyond their control, and feeling like first, it was their government wouldn’t protect them. This time it’s their government that’s doing it to them. Of course I’m only speaking from the perspective of the students who are protesting. I don’t mean to suggest that all students feel this way, but the ones who are protesting, this is, I think, what is driving them,” he said.

“Unlike some other issues, I think this one – like the guns in schools issues – hits very close to home, and makes them feel personally involved and threatened by the situation,” he said.

Schweber also talked about where the First Amendment applies during these situations.

He said students, particularly high school students, do have First Amendment rights. He said that schools may not punish students for expressing one viewpoint as opposed to another, and that any policy must be neutral. However, he said, students who walk out, and especially students who engage in conduct that disrupts school activities, can be disciplined.

“The legal background to this is students have a right to express themselves, but while they’re in school or while they’re supposed to be in school, that right is quite curtailed,” he said. “I noticed that in Madison, for example, there were some protests that were held after school ended in order to avoid this problem, which is certainly one way to avoid the issue, but then it’s not a walkout.”

How school districts deal with the walkouts

When it comes to walkouts, school districts typically approach them from several perspectives: attendance, neutrality, recognizing freedom of speech and safety.

In general, school districts will mark students who participate in walkouts as absent and unexcused unless their parents call in to excuse them. Most districts surveyed by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel also stressed that walkouts are student-sponsored and not organized or sanctioned by the districts.

For example, Pewaukee High School principal Brian Sniff said in a letter to parents that a Feb. 4 walkout at that school was student-initiated and student-led. He said that while students planning the walkout consulted with administration for clarity on the school’s expectations and potential consequences so they could make an informed decision about their plans, the district did not endorse or encourage the activity.

At the same time, some districts have acknowledged that students have free speech rights, as guaranteed by the First Amendment.

While reiterating that students who walk out are unexcused unless a parent excuses them, the Wauwatosa School District said in a letter to parents in advance of a Jan. 12 walkout that it values and encourages student self-expression and recognizes the “importance of civic engagement as part of a well-rounded education.”

“We view moments like this as opportunities for young people to explore their voices, deepen their understanding of social issues, and learn about the power of collective action in a safe and constructive way,” the letter said.

Safety is also another factor that districts consider.

South Milwaukee School District Superintendent Deidre Roemer, Shorewood High School principal Tim Kenney and Franklin High School principal Michael Vuolo said in their letters to parents before planned walkouts that staff would not supervise students who left school grounds.

Sniff said that if students walked out, administrators and security would monitor the situation, ensure they remained in designated safe areas on campus and prevent conflict. But he added that supervision means ensuring safety, and does not equal support.

Parent, student perspective

Jamie Esser, a parent of a child attending Pewaukee High School, said she supported the walkout there. She said teens getting involved with politics and social issues was “heartwarming” to her.

“I think our children, ever since lockdown, have been isolated and stuck in their cell phones and stuck on social media and not really interacting with each other or looking at the world at large. So I think – especially with all the controversy around ICE and around the treatment of their fellow Americans or even fellow human beings – I think it’s great that kids are taking up concerns, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s very promising for the future that today’s generation sees the injustice and just wants to be heard that they don’t agree with it,” Esser said.

Conversely, Joe Rivera, a parent and school board candidate for the Wisconsin Hudson School District in northwestern Wisconsin, said he was concerned about inconsistencies in how that district told parents it would handle a walkout v. what actually happened.

The walkout took place, even though the district told parents that students would not be allowed to leave campus and that classes would continue as scheduled, a Feb. 14 post on his campaign Facebook page said.

“Allowing a large, pre-planned demonstration during the school day – after communicating it would not be allowed – created confusion, undermined trust, and placed students in unnecessary danger, the post said. “We do not have to look far to see how similar situations, even nearby, have escalated quickly and turned tragic.”

“As a parent in this district, I find it unacceptable that families were told one thing and experienced another – especially when it involves student supervision and safety during the school day,” the post said.

Thomas Stilp, a Marquette University High School student, said he was among several students who were organizing a walkout at his school in February. Things looked ready to go until the night before the walkout. That’s when organizers heard concerns that the walkout might draw unwanted attention from ICE; those concerns led them to cancel the event.

Stilp said he thinks students fear that what’s happening in Minnesota will eventually happen in Milwaukee.

“What we really want is the whole country to be doing this, and if people are leaving schools and people are shutting down their offices and are not showing up to work, like businesses are closed; if you can’t get your coffee in the morning because of these ICE raids that are happening and businesses are calling for that to be stopped, that’s when you’re going to notice,” he said.

However, not all students support the walkouts.

One of those students is Turner Dittrich, a senior at Arrowhead High School and a founder, former president and current member of the school’s chapter of the conservative organization Turning Point. He is also the son of Terry Dittrich, the Waukesha County Republican Party chairman.

Turner Dittrich said that while people have the right to protest, they should not interfere with ICE, which is investigating criminal behavior.

“My whole take on it is, is why should undocumented illegal citizens get the same immunity as the ones who sacrifice to follow the law? We are America. We are a country of laws,” he said.

Dittrich said anti-ICE protests have been boosted by students who simply do not want to be in school. He also said he does not think it’s right for students to miss school for protests, out of respect for teachers.

“At Arrowhead especially, I’ve met some phenomenal teachers, some phenomenal individuals. They wake up tired and they’re really pouring out their energy into what they’re teaching students. For the ICE protests to not be done at 3:30 or 4 [after school] is just shocking to me because it’s like, what are these teachers possibly doing? Now, I understand freedom of speech. They can’t control kids necessarily, but at the end of the day, when teachers are getting paid to show up and work hard, it just unfortunately saddens me.

“It’s the same thing if there was a pro-ICE protest. I would think that during school hours, it’d be wrong, right? So I think on both sides of the aisle, the fact that we’re doing this during school hours, is wrong. It can’t be done that way,” Dittrich said.

Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on X (Twitter) at @AlecJohnson12.

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