The Allegheny County Council has passed a bill restricting collaboration between county employees and federal immigration authorities.<\/p>\n
Following public debate, the bill<\/a> passed by a vote of 11-3 on March 10. County executive Sara Innamorato signed the bill two days later, which effectively prohibits county employees from sharing information or resources with Immigration and Customs Enforcement<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Innamorato released a statement<\/a> affirming her support for the legislation but also advised the public to \u201cstay vigilant.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt is important to remember that even with the passage of this ordinance, local governments, including Allegheny County, cannot stop ICE\u2019s presence here,\u201d Innamorato said in the statement. \u201cMy administration will continue to work alongside immigrant and refugee-serving organizations to support their work.\u201d<\/p>\n Following the bill\u2019s approval, the Republican Committee of Allegheny County<\/a> published a press release<\/a> criticizing the decision and urged the council to reverse the legislation.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is unlawful and improper to order local law enforcement and county employees not to enforce the law and invoke employment penalties on anyone that does,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n Councilperson Bethany Hallam introduced<\/a> the bill in January following increased ICE arrests in the Pittsburgh area<\/a> and substantial ICE activity throughout the country.<\/a> Hallam said the bill applies to all the more than 6,000 county employees.\u00a0<\/p>\n According to Hallam, most Allegheny County offices did not have prior policy stating whether employees should cooperate with ICE. However, Hallam said it was happening \u201cevery single day.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe had attorneys who would come to the council meetings and speak about very specific instances of [county employees working with ICE],\u201d Hallam said. \u201cThey were detaining people in the courthouse waiting for ICE to get there, and now, they can\u2019t do that anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n Per the bill, county employees are prohibited from sharing any resources with ICE agents, which Hallam said includes their time.<\/p>\n \u201cThe jail has so much information about people, [the Department of Human Services]<\/a> has so much information about people \u2014 they can\u2019t give any of that information,\u201d Hallam said. \u201cIf ICE asks somebody for directions down the hallway, county employees are forbidden from helping them.\u201d<\/p>\n An amendment to the bill states that county court employees may be exempt only if the president judge of Allegheny County issues an order telling them to cooperate with ICE. Hallam said the amendment eliminated the possibility for \u201clegal challenge\u201d from court employees because it allows the judge to override it.<\/p>\n Several other amendments<\/a> to the bill were proposed by democrat Aaron Adams, District 9 council representative, and republican Suzanne Filiaggi, District 2 council representative, but did not gain enough votes to pass. One of the amendments proposed by Adams included a sunset clause that would have terminated the bill on Jan. 1, 2029 and exempted certain employees, including those in the courts and district attorney\u2019s office.\u00a0<\/p>\n Hallam said community members were \u201coverwhelmingly in favor\u201d of the bill based on public comment<\/a> at Pittsburgh City Council meetings over the last few weeks. Human rights and immigration organizations The Global Switchboard<\/a>, Frontline Dignity<\/a> and Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition<\/a> all posted<\/a> on social media supporting the legislation.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a vital step forward to ensuring equal access to County services and equal protection under the law for all County residents, without discrimination,\u201d a joint post said.<\/p>\n As far as the bill\u2019s impact, Hallam said she wants to lessen fear among community members who need to access food banks, attend court hearings or meet with caseworkers.<\/p>\n \u201cMy biggest hope is that they know they can interact with county services because our job as government, more than anything else, is to provide services for people,\u201d Hallam said. \u201cThis, at least, gives them a little bit of security to know that, if they\u2019re interacting with an Allegheny County agency, they\u2019re going to be safe.\u201d<\/p>\n