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Residents press Kent County commissioners to adopt sanctuary policies; protest at chair’s home briefly disrupts meeting
Summary
Multiple speakers urged the Kent County Board of Commissioners to end cooperation with ICE, adopt a set of six sanctuary policies, and stop transfers to North Lake Detention Center; protesters gathered at Chair Green's home and chants briefly interrupted the meeting before the chair recessed into closed session for a separate litigation matter.
Speakers at the Kent County Board of Commissioners’ public comment period urged the board to adopt six sanctuary policies and criticized the county’s reported cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
John Haynes told commissioners he was "outraged that our sheriff's department is still cooperating with ICE and detaining our neighbors without judicial warrants," and described reports of overcrowding, sanitation and medical care problems at the North Lake Detention Center. Several other speakers, including Sharon Smith, Cindy Burch and community organizers, said local cooperation with ICE separates families and causes lasting harm; many asked the board to adopt the previously presented six sanctuary policies endorsed by local groups.
Organizers and speakers said protesters had gone to Chair Green's private residence in recent days to demand action. Some residents urged sensitivity toward officials' families while defending the right to protest; others said public pressure was necessary to prompt board action. Charlie Sneder distributed letters of intent asking commissioners to commit to advocating for the sanctuary policies.
During the general‑comment period chanting rose in the chamber — speakers and the chair exchanged warnings about disrupting the meeting. Chair Green warned that continued disruption could lead to the microphone being turned off and that sheriff deputies could be asked to escort speakers from the chambers.
Amid the heightened tensions, a commissioner moved that the board go into a closed session under the Open Meetings Act to consult the county attorney about trial settlement strategy in tax foreclosure litigation; the chair recessed the meeting for closed session.
No commissioner announced formal action to adopt sanctuary policies during the meeting. Speakers and organizers pledged to continue pressing the board publicly and through distributed letters.
