Price Hill residents urge council to address ICE activity and support immigrant businesses

Several Price Hill residents and community leaders used Tuesday’s Citizens Forum to press Cincinnati City Council for support after what they described as an enforcement action at a Kroger in Price Hill.

Don Driehaus, speaking for the neighborhood, said Saturday’s operation “looks to me almost like an illegal raid of citizens up at the Kroger” and said the incident disrupted the neighborhood and left residents fearful. He asked the council to let neighborhood leaders present to the neighborhood committee with translators and business owners to show the community’s positive contributions.

Amber Cassam, another Price Hill resident, told council she was concerned about treatment of migrants and business impacts; she said local immigrant business owners reported revenue losses and expressed fear after the enforcement activity. She urged the council to ensure residents are treated lawfully and to provide resources to immigrant families.

Council members acknowledged the comments and referenced ongoing social services and neighborhood groups that support immigrant families. The city did not announce any formal policy or enforcement changes during the meeting; speakers requested a neighborhood committee agenda slot the following week to present more information to council.

The remarks were part of the Citizens Forum portion of the meeting and were not tied to any immediate council vote.