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Irondequoit residents urge town to clarify policy on local police interactions with immigration enforcement
Summary
Residents asked the Irondequoit Town Board to reaffirm constitutional protections, limit cooperation with ICE operations that target people by race or language, and require training for officers on de-escalation and constitutional limits; the board said it will follow up with police leadership.
Sue Elliot, speaking for a group of Irondequoit residents, told the Town Board on Feb. 17 that ambiguities in local and county policies leave immigrant and nonwhite residents fearful of interacting with law enforcement.
"We represent a group of Irondequoit residents who are looking to support and begin a discussion about our vulnerable neighbors, those who might be at risk of being detained by ICE," Elliot said, and asked the board to "reaffirm our town's expectation in fostering safety, dignity, and trust for residents."
Elliot cited Monroe County Sheriff's Office policy language that she said protects crime victims and witnesses from inquiries based solely on immigration status but does not explicitly require training on constitutional protections or de-escalation in immigration-related encounters. She told the board that ambiguity "does not allay their fear and this undermines public safety, discourages crime reporting and erodes trust in government institutions."
Drew Herszig, a resident who spoke later in the public comment period, said he supported Elliot's request and asked the board to consider a town statement affirming that citizenship status should not be a barrier to municipal services. "I'd like to second that," Herszig said, and urged the creation of clear town direction to foster trust.
Supervisor Pericone acknowledged receipt of a written petition and said the chief of police was out of town but that the board would be in touch with police leadership, including the town chief and county zone commander, to follow up. "We will be in touch," Pericone said.
Why it matters: Residents asked town leaders to clarify how local law enforcement will interact with federal immigration agents and to require training that would emphasize constitutional limits and de-escalation. Those changes could affect whether immigrants and their neighbors feel safe reporting crime and seeking town services.
Next steps: The petitioners said they submitted roughly 25 signatures; the board indicated staff would follow up with the police department to address the questions raised and to report back to the board.
