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Residents urge Greenville council to adopt ‘Philadelphia model’ limits on ICE; council schedules workshop
Summary
Multiple residents pressed the council during public comment to adopt policies limiting local cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement—asking that city agencies refuse data sharing and require identification and warrants—prompting council members to request a legal workshop on the Philadelphia model.
Dozens of Greenville residents told the City Council on April 9 that they want local policy steps to limit cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, citing high‑profile enforcement actions in other states and fears among immigrant communities.
"No city agency should be collaborating with them in any form that includes the sharing of data," Jen Self told the council, urging officials to “adopt the Philadelphia model” and require that federal agents present judicial warrants before accessing city facilities or records. Multiple other speakers—including Patty Crew, Reverend Anne Harrington and Kyla Mlan of East Carolina University—echoed that call and urged protections for residents and students.
Speakers described personal and community anxiety if unmarked, masked agents operate in public spaces and asked the council to adopt policies that would: require federal agents to identify themselves, bar data sharing by city agencies, disallow use of city facilities for raids without a warrant, and prohibit deputizing local officers under 287(g) agreements. "When residents are afraid to call the police, report crimes, or cooperate with investigations because they fear entanglement with federal immigration enforcement, our entire community becomes less safe," said Mike Linden, another commenter.
Council members responded by scheduling a workshop to review the Philadelphia model and seek legal advice. Council Member Scully formally requested the workshop and said she wanted the city attorney to advise what the city can lawfully do. Mayor Pro Tem Foreman seconded the request and noted there may be limits to local authority, but that it is meaningful for a city to take a moral and policy stand.
The exchange left the council with clear next steps: staff and the city attorney will prepare materials and legal guidance for a council workshop examining which elements of the Philadelphia approach are feasible under North Carolina and federal law. The workshop will focus on legal constraints (for example, preemption), operational details (what data the city holds and how it is shared), and practical measures the city could adopt to protect residents while remaining within its authority.
