Residents urge Medina County commissioners to act on ICE cooperation resolution; commissioners say no formal motion is pending

A large portion of public comment at the Medina County Board of Commissioners meeting focused on a proposed resolution to limit the county’s cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Elaine Stone, identifying herself as a Medina resident, urged the board to adopt the resolution on moral and humanitarian grounds. She said, “ICE currently is an unconstitutional criminal violent unaccountable federal force supported and promoted by the highest elected officials in our land.” Stone described local history of both “racism” and “inclusivity” and urged county leaders to protect the county’s roughly 6,000 Hispanic residents and other immigrants.

Opposing the resolution, Ron Maitland, who identified himself as a lifelong Medina County resident, said barring the sheriff’s department from cooperating with ICE would “handcuff law enforcement” and asked commissioners to “follow federal and state laws.” Brian Hopkins, another speaker, said he strongly encouraged continued cooperation with federal law enforcement to ensure that “residents are properly flagged” and warned the board that adopting a similar measure could have fiscal impacts if state legislation (cited as the Protecting Ohio Communities Act) were enacted.

Commissioners and one member of the board who spoke directly to the crowd emphasized the procedural limits on action. As one speaker clarified on the record: “until an action is moved and seconded by the commissioners, we’re really not acting or considering anything.” Commissioners said any future consideration would require a formal motion, public notice and a vote.

The public-comment exchange closed with no formal action taken on the ICE-related resolution during the meeting. The commissioners subsequently moved to enter executive session on a separate agenda item concerning imminent litigation.