Residents press Erie council for clarity on police cooperation with immigration authorities; mayor says city policy does not target residents

Dozens of residents pressed the Erie City Council Wednesday to clarify whether the Erie Police Department is cooperating with federal immigration enforcement after several speakers described recent traffic stops and a rapid arrival of Border Patrol agents.

The issue drew repeated public comments during the council’s public-comment period, with residents saying the incidents have created fear among immigrant and new‑American communities. Council and the mayor responded by saying the administration does not expect police to target people based on immigration status and asked for reports the city can investigate.

The callers described one incident in which they said Border Patrol arrived within minutes after a stop. "There is a video I can show you," resident Carlos Morales said, and he described a stop he said occurred on Perez Street that ended with Border Patrol taking a man named Rene into custody. "To my knowledge, Erie is a sanctuary city. So why is this happening?" Morales asked.

An eyewitness who identified himself as Kevin told the council he saw the stop and that a man who had been near the scene later drove away in the stopped driver’s car. "ICE pulls up 2 minutes later. Like, is this set up?" Kevin said.

Other speakers framed the issue as part of a broader national shift they see as hostile to immigrants. "This is a critical juncture in the fate of our democracy; you all need to do more," said Cole Shemley, a resident.

Resident Emerson Bannon asked the council to develop "a whole Erie strategy" to protect immigrants, noting reports of Gannon University students having visas revoked and urging the city to act locally to safeguard residents.

Councilperson Shaw told the meeting she counted about 10 people who spoke on immigration and said the city should respond to that community concern.

Mayor (name not specified in the record) addressed those concerns during the meeting and said the administration’s expectation and policy is that Erie officers should not take enforcement action based on a person’s national origin alone. "We don't expect anything illegal or, you know, aggressive to be done," the mayor said, adding he had discussed the matter with the police chief and would follow up on specific allegations. He asked residents who believe they have examples to bring them forward so the chief (identified in the discussion as Chief Spazarni) could review them.

Council members and speakers noted the wider impact of the reports: residents said some families were afraid to leave home, students worried about deportation, and routine errands — shopping, school runs — were being affected.

The council did not take formal action at the meeting to change police policy or pass new ordinances. Instead, the mayor asked for specific instances to investigate and the council signaled interest in clarifying expectations publicly so residents know what the city’s policy is and how to report potential misconduct.

Looking ahead, several speakers said they want the council and mayor to be explicit about what the policy is and to pursue changes if the police are found to be cooperating with immigration enforcement in ways that contradict local commitments. The mayor said he would speak with the police chief and review any examples brought to his attention.