Area residents hold signs in solidarity with North Penn High School students who walked out of class on Feb. 6, 2026 to participate in an anti-ICE demonstration. Photo by Rachel Ravina | The Reporter.
Mayor and police could issue statement instead of council vote
Talks are continuing on a possible ‘welcoming resolution’ in Lansdale, and borough officials may have a response for those making that request.
“I still am asking for council to look to make a resolution that our police force not get dragged into the civil enforcement of immigration,” said resident Richard Strahm.
“I love our police force, and I think they are here to protect and serve us. But not be an arm of the federal government’s civil enforcement of immigration,” he said.
In February, residents including Strahm asked that council consider a public statement declaring that borough police would not assist federal authorities with enforcing immigration laws, after a similar request was made in North Wales Borough the month before. Calls had come in Lansdale last summer, when advocates from borough-based nonprofit the Woori Center asked council to consider adopting an ordinance similar to those discussed in other towns across the county. Council heard repeated requests and discussed a draft internally, but took no action at that time.
Since those talks in February, Strahm told council, elected boards in Haverford and Upper Darby have passed similar resolutions directing that their police forces not take part in immigration enforcement initiatives, and that they not share information regarding immigration status, while North Wales issued a similar statement last month echoing one made by the county commissioners outlining local against federal police duties and responsibilities.
“So we’re not leading edge, we’re not cutting edge . We would just be doing what a lot of other people are doing already, and I do ask you to do that,” he said, drawing applause from about a dozen residents there.
During the subsequent public safety committee report to the full group, councilman BJ Breish asked for a similar update.
“Are we moving that anywhere, the welcoming policy? I think the next step would be working with Patrick (Hitchens, borough solicitor) to get something drafted. I don’t know if that needs to be an action out of committee,” he said.
Council President Meg Currie Teoh answered that the solicitor was “still researching options, and what the process would be,” and said an update could come in a future council meeting.
“My understanding from Patrick — this is a process we’re still figuring out — if we’re going to move forward, it sounds like it would be most likely coming through Mayor (Rachael) Bollens [and] the police department, and then through us, at least a first version of it,” Teoh said.
Bollens added that such an approach is likely to start.
“It wouldn’t be an ordinance, or a policy. It would be a statement coming from the head of the PD. And we’ve been working on one, with the Woori Center and the solicitor, and it’s gone through many iterations, ’cause we want to get it right,” she said.
“But, under no circumstances, is it called a welcoming policy. It’s an internal PD policy, and a statement,” Bollens said.
Lansdale’s borough council next meets at 7 p.m. on March 18 and the public safety committee next meets at 6:30 p.m. on April 1, both at the borough municipal building, 1 Vine Street. For more information visit www.Lansdale.org.
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