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Residents press council on ICE activity, housing conditions and police accountability during packed public-comment period
Summary
Eleven speakers used public comment to demand action on alleged ICE collaboration, poor housing conditions at multiple properties, and perceived failures by local police; speakers asked for transparency, legal protections, oversight and immediate remedies for affected residents.
A string of 11 public-comment speakers at the Canton City Council meeting raised urgent community concerns about Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity, unsafe housing conditions and local policing practices.
David Kerestes, who introduced himself as a resident of Gateway 2, described housing-quality problems at his federally funded building, listing broken balusters, water intrusion, alleged mold and failing door hardware: "I still don't know how they got their inspection every day," he said, and urged the city to take action to prevent similar conditions elsewhere.
Several speakers focused on ICE enforcement and alleged local coordination with federal immigration agents. Skylark Bruce said people in Canton were "terrified" and asked city officials what they are doing to protect residents, asking specifically whether the Canton Police Department has contracts or coordination with federal agencies. "The Latino community does not deserve to live in fear," she said, and asked officials to explain what steps they will take.
Other public speakers raised related community issues: Sierra Mason pressed for greater urgency and transparency in a missing-persons case (Ryan JJ Goodbay), described poor conditions at Victory Square and asked why the city's police response appeared uneven; Lorena Johnson and others described high levels of fear and urged the city to "actively block ICE" and provide training and protections. Joshua Brown and Justin Nicely raised complaints about police conduct, child-protective services, and broader grievances about local leadership.
Mayor (role indicated in the meeting) later addressed some of the immigration allegations, saying council could not act on federal law enforcement but asserting "you can't believe everything that you see on social media" and explicitly stating that local police are not coordinating with ICE. Council members echoed concerns about limited local authority over federal enforcement and said they would pursue available options where possible.
The public-comment block concluded with multiple speakers urging the city to take concrete steps: improve housing enforcement, increase transparency in policing and clarify any formal agreements with federal authorities. Council members did not take formal action on these items during the meeting but acknowledged the concerns and said they would explore options and follow up where authority allows.
