Carlisle council hears public comment on 'Community Trust and Local Autonomy' proposal; police chief discloses April 28 ICE contact

At a Oct. 1, 2025 workshop of the Borough Council of Carlisle, councilors took public comment on a proposed “Carlisle Community Trust and Local Autonomy” resolution or ordinance aimed at limiting local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Carlisle Police Chief Landis told the council that, on April 28, members of the Carlisle Police Department contacted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement about a detained juvenile who had been held for a violation of the Pennsylvania motor vehicle code; ICE subsequently took custody of the juvenile.

The proposed ordinance has generated extended public comment and will return to council next week, when members may choose to adopt the text as a resolution or advertise it as an ordinance — the latter requiring a public-notice period (approximately 10 days) before a final vote. Councilors said the ordinance and the related public debate tie to the borough strategic plan language about being “welcoming” and to questions of local autonomy over policing and community trust.

Chief Landis read a prepared statement to the council and the public. He said, “Over the past 9 months, I’ve stated that the Carlisle Police does not call…