The national and regional debate about immigration and law enforcement has reached the borough’s borders.
Lansdale’s elected officials heard a request last week to consider a formal declaration of the town’s immigration policies.
“I want to begin by thanking our elected officials and the chief of the Lansdale Police Department for showing their commitment and support for the immigrant families and workers in our community, by not cooperating with ICE through the 287g program, or other harmful actions by unjustifiable means,” said a resident who identified himself only as “Vincent.”
“It’s really a big relief to know that our municipal government is on the side of immigrant families,” he said.
In recent months, immigration has been hotly debated at the county level, as federal Immigration Customs Enforcement personnel have raided facilities in the county, including a raid in which 14 undocumented immigrants were detained in mid-July at a West Norriton Township supermarket.
The 287(g) program specifically allows local law enforcement to partner with ICE to “Identify and process removable aliens with pending or active criminal charges,” access ICE resources and training at their cost, and “enforce limited immigration authorities with ICE oversight,” according to the federal agency. According to the Immigrant Legal Resources Center, the nearest agency to have such an agreement with ICE is the Bucks County Sheriff’s Office, and that center claims “287(g) agreements are designed to extend the reach of the Trump deportation machine by getting localities to do ICE’s work at their own expense.”
Following that raid, West Norriton’s commissioners voted earlier this month to enact a new policy on police interaction with federal immigration agents, advocates have urged county officials and those in other municipalities to oppose such federal efforts, and members of Community for Change Montgomery County have said they intend to introduce petitions in all 62 municipalities across the county opposing those federal efforts.
Lansdale police Chief Mike Trail addressed the topic during a public forum in Norristown last month before being hired on Tuesday as that town’s next chief, saying, “The Lansdale Police Department does not engage in immigration enforcement activities. We’ll do what’s legally obligated to be done, and … we’ll keep the peace…but I’ve already told my officers that the Immigration Customs Enforcement shows up and they start abusing our residents, as guardians of our community, we’re to step in.”
Can the council say and do more?
“I’m here to ask you to take further action by introducing polices that carry power to enforce the measures that county staff can practice, to protect our community from ICE,” Vincent said.
As a recent graduate of North Penn High School, he’s heard similar sentiments from classmates.
“We should only have to worry about our next exam. We shouldn’t have to worry about being separated from our loved ones, and our families, or being ambushed at our schools,” he said.
One fellow student said she had heard reports of ICE detaining community members, even those who are citizens, “simply for looking suspicious” or not carrying ID, he told the council.
“This affects everyone. This creates a climate of fear, where education takes a backseat to survival. We know that ICE is involved in our schools and our neighborhoods, because students stop showing up, to fear. Parents become disengaged, and this fear silences us as a community.”
The resident also identified himself as a member of the Woori Center, a nonprofit named after the Korean word for “Us” or “We” that aims to “empower and cultivate the leadership of our marginalized community members including the low-income, recent immigrant, limited English proficient, undocumented, women, seniors, and young people,” according to the center’s website.
“Lansdale Borough should be a place where immigrant youth feel supported, not watched or targeted. When local governments cooperate with ICE, even informally, it breaks trust and creates fear,” he said.
“Our communities deserve more than just good intentions. We need a lasting and forceful system, a policy that turns promises into protection. It’s about protecting the humanity and safety of our students and our parents. It’s about ensuring that Lansdale stands on the side of safety, dignity and inclusion,” Vincent said.
“I urge elected officials and the chief to take a formal resolution that informs and properly trains all (local) staff, so they can be the protectors of immigrant residents. A formal resolution would include: explicitly ban leasing facilities to ICE, prohibit 287(g) agreements, and prevent the collection or storage of citizenship or immigration status, unless required by law. I hope you’ll continue to stand with us.”
Council President Mary Fuller thanked the resident for making the public comments, and did not address the request further, but told the Philadelphia Inquirer earlier this month that the town has no formal policy or ordinance regarding cooperation with ICE, and said borough police currently don’t engage with ICE enforcement activities. Code committee chairwoman Rafia Razzak added that she looked forward to learning more in meetings with local advocates and continuing talks at the town’s code committee.
“Thank you for educating us, and thanks for advocating for all of our immigrant neighbors,” she said.
Lansdale’s borough council next meets at 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 3 and the public safety committee meets at 6:30 p.m. and the code enforcement committee meets at 7:30 p.m. that night, all at the borough municipal building, 1 Vine Street. For more information, visit www.Lansdale.org.
This article appears courtesy of a content share agreement between North Penn Now and The Reporter. To read more stories like this, visit https://www.thereporteronline.com
