Leet commissioners approved a new policy for township police limiting interactions with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Commissioners unanimously voted in favor of the resolution on April 13.
Solicitor Stephen Chesney said the policy is based on a template from the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office.
He said it behooved the township to adopt it, citing likely support from the DA’s office should any legal challenges occur.
“It’s something that they put in place, that they’re recommending,” Chesney said.
Police Chief Brian Jameson agreed.
“They put out a very unbiased, non-political policy that pretty much defines what interactions are permissible by local law enforcement versus what is not permissible,” Jameson said.
He went on to discuss situations in which police would assist ICE upon request.
“What we can do is go and secure a scene and make sure everybody’s safe, and people aren’t fighting and assaulting each other and things like that,” Jameson said. “We have a duty and responsibility to protect everybody involved in a situation, regardless of their immigration status. What the policy basically does is define the actions our officers can take under certain conditions.”
Part of its language was changed from the template to reflect the size of the township’s police department and its operations.
The resolution is posted on the township’s website.
It states that an officer should not detain any individual for any length of time for a civil violation of federal immigration laws related to a civil warrant.
It also mandates officers not to hold someone for a civil warrant or solely based on their immigration status longer than they would for any citizen suspected of a crime, where a summons would be issued.
The resolution also does not require or prohibit the township from entering into a 287(g) cooperation agreement.
The 287(g) Program, according to ice.gov, allows a law enforcement agency to enforce certain aspects of U.S. immigration law, expanding a department’s authority to identify and process removable aliens with pending or active criminal charges, enforce limited immigration authorities with ICE oversight during routine duties, and serve and execute administrative warrants on removable aliens in a department’s jail.
The resolution does not prohibit any officer from sending information to or requesting information from federal immigration officials, maintaining such information in department records or exchanging such information with any other federal, state or local government entity.
Chesney said federal law prevents the township from prohibiting officers from notifying ICE about an individual’s immigration status.
Commissioners posted a draft of the resolution last month and hoped to get some resident feedback on the proposed legislation.
Commission president Martin McDaniel said he received one email from a woman who had some questions about its language, and a man sent him a news report involving an alleged illegal immigrant.
Other commissioners said they received no correspondence about the resolution prior to its passing.
The only change in the resolution was fixing a typo.
Resident Erin Cosgrove at the meeting thanked commissioners for considering the policy. She encouraged other Quaker Valley communities to follow suit.
“I think it’s really important that we show our appreciation to our police force,” Cosgrove said. “They do a great job protecting the community, doing community service. ICE is a different job.”
Commissioner Donna said she felt comfortable with the policy and that it could be adjusted if necessary
Other said they read the policy multiple times to understand what they were requiring of their officers.
“I do want our officers to be protected as much as our residents,” commissioner Jessica Cindrich said. “I think it’s a balancing act. We have to have some standard. I really do appreciate the effort that went into putting this together.”
Martin said he does not believe the policy will have a great impact on current police operations.
“We all up here don’t have to have law degrees,” he said. “We want justice to be served and we want to take care of people in need. I believe our police department has that in mind, too.”
Leet has joined a growing number of Allegheny County communities passing ICE-related resolutions.
Oakmont Council in February approved a resolution prohibiting the borough from engaging in non-criminal federal immigration law enforcement.
Plum Council passed its resolution in early March. Fox Chapel Council approved a new police policy and passed a resolution addressing ICE and borough police interaction on March 16.
Allegheny County Council on March 10 approved a bill that prohibits county employees from cooperating with ICE.