KENOSHA, Wis. — Kenosha County Sheriff David W. Zoerner quietly deleted a campaign Facebook post within hours after it drew criticism from both liberals and conservatives over his immigration record and a campaign image appearing to show him standing alongside President Donald Trump.

The post declared, “As your Sheriff, I have always stood strong against crime, drug cartels, and illegal immigration. No excuses and no backing down – Just like President Trump.” It also featured what appeared to be an AI-generated image depicting Zoerner standing beside Trump beneath the words “Trump-Tough Conservative.”

While political attacks often come from one side or the other, the criticism directed at Zoerner came from across the political spectrum.

Liberals accused the sheriff of abandoning his previous positions on immigration enforcement for political gain. Several commenters described Zoerner as an “opportunist,” arguing he changed course only after facing a Republican primary challenge from Capt. James Beller, who repeatedly pledged to sign a 287(g) agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement if elected sheriff.

Zoerner is seeking another term in a three-way Republican primary. He is being challenged by Capt. James Beller of the Kenosha Police Department and Capt. Tony Gonzalez of the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office. Both challengers have criticized Zoerner’s leadership during the campaign, with Beller making support for the federal 287(g) immigration enforcement program a central issue of his campaign.

Conservatives were equally critical. A former Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office employee, accused Zoerner of misleading voters, commenting, “LIAR! Took you over 3 years to sign 287G and competition for sheriff.” Others questioned the integrity of using what appeared to be an AI-generated image that gave the impression Zoerner had recently posed for a photograph with President Trump.

The criticism echoed Kenosha County Eye’s reporting over the past year documenting Zoerner’s evolving position on immigration enforcement.

In September 2025, Zoerner publicly rejected participation in the federal 287(g) program. Two months later, Kenosha County Eye reported that his administration had adopted a more limited approach to cooperating with ICE.

After challenger Capt. James Beller entered the sheriff’s race and promised to sign the 287(g) agreement, Zoerner quietly entered into a federal 287(g) agreement. Multiple current and former members of the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office told Kenosha County Eye that senior command staff were not informed beforehand that the agreement was being pursued.

Kenosha County Eye later reported that Zoerner publicly claimed sheriff’s deputies had been deputized by ICE and were arresting illegal immigrants. Records obtained by Kenosha County Eye indicated the agreement covered only designated correctional officers assigned to the jail, and records did not support the claim that patrol deputies had been deputized or were making immigration arrests.

Zoerner’s campaign post claimed he had “always stood strong” against illegal immigration. Critics from both sides of the political aisle disputed that characterization, albeit for different reasons. Liberals argued he embraced tougher immigration enforcement only after it became politically advantageous, while conservatives argued the post ignored his earlier opposition to the 287(g) program and overstated his administration’s role in federal immigration enforcement.

One Kenosha County voter criticized Zoerner for deleting the post rather than defending it. “If you’re going to make a political statement, own it,” the voter said. “Don’t take it down because people disagree with you. Either you believe what you posted or you don’t. Removing it after a few hours makes it look like you’re more worried about the backlash than standing behind your convictions. Deleting it within hours just highlights his flip-flopping, opportunist track record. Voters are concerned because they don’t know what they’re going to get with the incumbent. We want someone who hasn’t wavered in their message. It’s not Dave.”

Within hours of being published, the Facebook post had been removed from Zoerner’s campaign page. Zoerner has not publicly explained why it was deleted.