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Residents urge Lansdale council to finalize stronger policy limiting cooperation with immigration enforcement; solicitor says police policy already restricts 'w
Summary
At the May 20 Lansdale council meeting, multiple residents pressed the borough to adopt binding policy language to limit data sharing with ICE and to refuse administrative detainers; the borough solicitor read the existing police policy and offered to circulate documents and a draft council resolution for further action.
Multiple residents urged the Lansdale Borough Council on May 20 to finish and publish a policy to back the borough's April welcoming statement and to bar local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement absent a judge's order.
"Since that announcement, there have been multiple ICE actions right here in Lansdale," resident Haesan told the council, saying the statement announced last month left many neighbors fearful while a follow‑up policy remains unfinished. Jazz Holiday added: "We do not believe an administrative warrant is sufficient for the work that ICE is carrying out, and we do not believe we should share data with them under any conditions." Priscilla, another resident, asked rhetorically, "When is it enough? How many more people need to be taken from their homes and kidnapped to detention centers where there is now 0 accountability about civil rights and their civil liberties?"
Anthony Simpson, representing a county coalition, told the council community members had helped draft red‑lined language and said the version presented to the borough felt "ceremonial" and without "teeth." Multiple speakers urged the council to match Montgomery County and neighboring municipalities that have adopted stronger limits on data sharing and on honoring administrative detainers.
Solicitor Hiddens and Mayor Rachel Bollins responded that the borough already has a police policy addressing these questions. Solicitor Hiddens read the relevant policy language aloud: "Lansdale Borough will continue to keep our local resources focused and working on local issues. We will only cooperate with federal immigration authorities when required by a valid judicial court order or is otherwise required by law. . . . We do not honor administrative ICE detainer requests or participate in voluntary immigration enforcement programs." Hiddens also said the police department has not received any requests to access borough individual databases and that any request for assistance would be reviewed by the chief and the mayor.
The solicitor offered to circulate the mayor's statement, the borough police policy, the county resolution and a proposed council resolution by email, and he said he could prepare a draft resolution for the council to consider at a future meeting. Mayor Bollins said she was open to continued meetings with community representatives to resolve outstanding concerns.
Outcome: Council did not adopt a new council resolution at the May 20 meeting. The solicitor agreed to distribute existing texts and a proposed resolution for council consideration and follow up. The public commenters said they would continue to press for stronger, binding language.
Why it matters: Residents framed the issue as a public‑safety and civil‑rights concern, saying the difference between a ceremonial statement and an enforceable policy affects whether immigrant neighbors will trust and cooperate with local government and police.
