Public commenter tells council to restrict cooperation with ICE, cites 32 detainee deaths in 2025
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Summary
Sharon Bonaviglia of the Pennsylvania Interfaith Impact Network urged Allegheny County Council to vote for legislation to limit county cooperation with ICE, saying '2025 was the deadliest year for ICE detainees in 20 years' and that '32 people died detained by our government in ICE facilities last year.' Council gave no verbal response during the meeting; the related ordinance will proceed to committee.
Sharon Bonaviglia, speaking for the Pennsylvania Interfaith Impact Network, used the public-comment period to urge Allegheny County Council members to "vote yes" on legislation introduced to restrict county cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Bonaviglia framed the measure as a life-and-death issue and said the network "will be watching how you vote on this vital issue." She stated, "2025 was the deadliest year for ICE detainees in 20 years. 32 people died detained by our government in ICE facilities last year," and asked the council to act.
The comment came after council staff had introduced an ordinance to codify county service provision "without regard to refugee or immigration status" and the presiding officer indicated introduced measures would be referred to committee. No council member response or debate on Bonaviglia's remarks is recorded in the transcript. The public comment closes with the speaker reminding the council that PIN has members across most council districts and will monitor how members vote on the proposal.
The transcript does not provide supporting documentation for Bonaviglia's numerical claim; it appears in public comment and was not disputed or confirmed during the meeting. The related ordinance and any proposed limits on county cooperation with ICE were introduced by council staff and referred to the government reform committee for review.
