Allegheny County Bill to Bar ICE Cooperation Advances
A bill that would prohibit Allegheny County, PA from cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has advanced to a full council vote. The proposed legislation puts the county at the center of the national debate over the role of local government in federal immigration enforcement.
The bill, identified as ordinance 13809-26, would do more than just bar cooperation; it would prohibit county employees from inquiring about a person's immigration status, prevent ICE from using county facilities or databases for enforcement, and stop the county from entering into agreements to house immigrant detainees. It also mandates that any transfer of an individual to ICE custody from the county jail would require a judicial warrant, not just an administrative one. This legislation was spurred by a significant increase in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in the Pittsburgh area. Since January 2025, there have been nearly 1,000 ICE arrests in the region, a figure more than triple that of the previous year. This surge is part of a broader national trend, with 28 local law enforcement agencies in Pennsylvania having established partnership agreements with ICE as of July 2025. The bill's sponsors, including at-large council member Bethany Hallam, argue that formal legislation is necessary because departmental policies can change with new administrations. Proponents point to incidents they claim show "rogue" jail employees sharing information and a memo from a county judge that outlined a protocol for sheriff's deputies to detain individuals for ICE at the courthouse as evidence of the need for a binding ordinance. The sheriff's office has stated the protocol described in the memo was never put into practice. Opponents of the measure question its necessity, noting that county departments, including the sheriff's office, have already stated they do not cooperate with ICE without a judicial warrant. Concerns were also raised during the 4-3 committee vote about potential retaliation from the federal government, including the withdrawal of federal funding. The debate in Allegheny County reflects a larger statewide and national conversation. In Philadelphia, a 2018 court ruling affirmed the city's right to maintain its "sanctuary city" policies and blocked the Justice Department from withholding grant funding. However, other jurisdictions in Pennsylvania, like Butler County, have reversed policies that limited ICE cooperation, citing public safety concerns. If the full 15-member council passes the bill, County Executive Sara Innamorato has indicated she will sign it into law. This would codify the county's stance, a move supporters say is essential to protect all residents and ensure county resources are not used for federal immigration enforcement. The city of Pittsburgh has a similar long-standing policy of non-cooperation with ICE.
