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Geneva residents urge police to avoid immigration-enforcement roles, call for compassionate policing
Summary
Two residents spoke during the citizens portion urging the Geneva Police Department to preserve community trust and not participate in federal immigration enforcement; one urged the council to prohibit city participation in 287(g) agreements.
At the Feb. 9 City of Geneva council meeting, residents urged local officials to protect community trust and to avoid entangling city police in federal immigration-enforcement programs.
Margie Eppsville told the council that Geneva officers have built trust with residents and asked the city to "protect the people you serve from the aggressive tactics of ICE" and to ensure officers "stay true to who we are as a community." She urged that police respond from a place of compassion and said, "No warrant, no enforcement."
Another resident, Patrick Turner, spoke about concerns with local officials’ statements and said he supported work to prohibit city participation in 287(g) agreements—memoranda of agreement that allow the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to delegate certain civil immigration‑enforcement functions to local agencies. The speaker argued such agreements would divert local law‑enforcement and fiscal resources away from resident safety and wellbeing.
City staff did not propose a specific ordinance during the meeting; the comments were entered during the citizens portion. The council did not take a formal vote on a 287(g) prohibition at this meeting.
