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Residents urge council to consider a welcoming ordinance as Lancaster County sheriff and local police discuss ICE deputization
Summary
Several residents told the borough council April 30 they had recently learned the Lancaster County Sheriff and some neighboring municipal police departments were exploring agreements with ICE. Speakers urged the borough to consider a formal 'welcoming city' ordinance and thanked borough police for saying they would not seek ICE deputization.
Two residents used the public-comment period at the Carlisle Borough Council workshop April 30 to urge the council to consider adopting a "welcoming city" ordinance after hearing that the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office and some nearby municipal police departments were exploring arrangements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
John Werner, who identified himself as a borough resident at 133 West High Street, told the council: "Lancaster County Sheriff's Department has expressed interest in signing on with ICE as an enforcement agency." Werner said the issue "is alive in this region" and that interest in cooperating with ICE underscored urgency for the borough to review its approach.
Resident Tina Ziegler, of 120 East Lowther Street, said she agreed with Werner and thanked Carlisle's police for "going above and beyond" with extra trainings. During her remarks she said, "We are seeing police officers become emboldened," and added that she hoped Carlisle's policing practices that focus on training and community engagement would continue.
A council member who led the meeting clarified municipal authority and policing arrangements, noting that county sheriffs are independent elected offices and that sheriff's offices can make their own decisions within their jurisdictions. The same councilor also said the borough police "are not signing on to be deputized by ICE" and that any such move would require borough-level policy action and borough-manager involvement.
Why it matters: Agreements between local law-enforcement agencies and ICE can change how immigration enforcement is carried out and can affect trust between immigrant communities and local police. Speakers at the workshop urged councilors to consider formal policy safeguards.
Next steps: Speakers asked the council to take the information under advisement. Councilors did not vote or introduce an ordinance during the workshop; no formal referral was recorded on the meeting record that night.
Ending: Councilors thanked the speakers and noted the matter would remain a topic for future discussion if the council decides to pursue a local ordinance or other policy action.
