Residents urge Medina City Council to oppose proposed Ohio immigration bills during packed public comment

Dozens of Medina-area residents pressed the Medina City Council on March 23 to oppose a set of proposed Ohio laws they said would expand local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and threaten civil liberties.

At a lengthy public-comment period, speakers named specific measures — referenced in testimony as House Bill 26, House Bill 42, House Bill 281 and Senate Bill 172 — and urged the council to adopt a resolution opposing those bills. "These proposals weaken local democracy, undermine equal protection and expand surveillance and policing powers in ways that target vulnerable people," said Nola Lother, who identified herself as a Medina resident and asked council members to reject the bills.

Other residents gave personal accounts. Amy Panchamardi asked council members to "look in the mirror" and defend children and families from aggressive enforcement. Sadia Giganti, who said she is Latina and lives in Medina, described heightened fear in the community and warned that cooperation at the local level could lead to racial profiling: "Cooperation with ICE doesn't just affect illegal immigrants in Medina County. It affects the people that live here as well," she said.

Some speakers emphasized legal and fiscal concerns. Mary Emhoff, who said she volunteers as a federal-court monitor, argued the bills would impose unfunded mandates on municipalities and could violate the U.S. and Ohio constitutions. Pat Walker, another resident, summarized the draft resolution and said it does not call Medina a sanctuary city nor prevent enforcement of federal immigration law; instead, Walker said the resolution asks city leaders to confirm they will follow constitutional limits and resist proposals that "do not comply with the Ohio Constitution and the U.S. Constitution."

Councilmembers responded but did not vote on a resolution that night. One councilmember who spoke from the dais said the city should "coach" state representatives toward ethical leadership and cited court opinions and news reports alleging problematic ICE conduct elsewhere. Councilmember Isabella told the room, "The version of ICE that we've seen in other cities is not a version that I want to see in this town," and said she expects the police department in Medina to remain professional and accountable.

Mayor Shields and several council members said they would seek legal guidance and more information before taking any formal action. "I still have questions that need to be answered, and I will be approaching people to get those questions answered," one councilmember said. The council did not take immediate action on a resolution at the March 23 meeting.

Next steps: council members said they plan to gather legal advice and follow up; a public hearing or future vote could be scheduled once staff returns with clarifying legal analysis.