No action taken by Centre Region COG on resolution calling for ICE reforms

The Centre Region Council of Governments’ Executive Committee discussed, but did not take action on, a resolution Tuesday that calls for “timely and meaningful reforms” to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The proposed resolution was the same one that was seen, and subsequently tabled, at the State College Borough Council meeting last week. It was written and proposed by Borough Councilman Matt Herndon in the wake of two deaths in Minneapolis last month at the hands of federal immigration officers.

Reforms urged in the proposed resolution include:

• Prohibiting masks or face coverings that prevent federal agents from being clearly identified during enforcement actions
• Ending the use of violent force or chemical agents against peaceful protesters, those lawfully observing or providing humanitarian assistance
• Respecting lawful local and state investigations involving federal agents
• Ensuring that exercising Second Amendment rights is not treated as justification for the use of deadly force
• Reaffirming adherence to due process protections and judicial warrant requirements for all enforcement actions

While the borough spent more an hour deliberating the resolution at a separate meeting earlier this month, the executive committee’s discussion only lasted about 20 minutes, and ended with no member putting forth a motion to recommend that the resolution be added to the CRCOG General Forum meeting’s agenda on Feb. 23.

While some committee members voiced support for the message of the proposed resolution, they said it wasn’t a matter for CRCOG, which includes six municipalities and makes decisions on regional policy issues.

“On a personal level, I agree,” College Township Councilwoman Susan Trainor said during Tuesday’s meeting. “There’s value in the discussion and in a resolution, but at the municipal level, rather than the COG level.

“One of the discussion points that we brought up is we thought that unanimity was an important part of how the proclamation would be perceived and the power that we would have in that, and we were very concerned that we would not have unanimity at the COG level — but at the municipal level, we might be able to achieve that.”

Harris Township Supervisor Dennis Hameister agreed, saying that his township believes the resolution is “not a COG item.”

Not everyone at Tuesday’s meeting was opposed to passing the resolution though — State College Borough Council President Evan Myers spoke in full support of the resolution, as he did when it was twice discussed by Borough Council.

“I’m not saying we’re in the same spot we were in Germany in the 1930s — some people think we’re heading that direction, but all I can do is relay my own personal feelings,” Myers said. “I have family members who died in the Holocaust. I have family members who survived that, and they’re all gone now, but they’ve all always said to me, ‘Why didn’t people speak up when it started? Why didn’t people say something that would have been helpful?’”

Myers said that the committee shouldn’t accept what’s going on with ICE nationwide, but also acknowledged some of his fellow borough council members’ beliefs that the resolution could “shine a spotlight on people who were vulnerable.”

One course of action that some of the committee members thought would be a good idea to implement in their own municipalities is the passing of an emergency action plan, which would be sent out to the public on safety issues, concerns and statements on how local police forces will respond to incidents regarding ICE in the future.

Little discussion was had on the emergency plans though, as CRCOG Executive Director Ben Estell told the committee that the plans would be an issue they’d have to take back to their own municipalities.

Moving forward, for the resolution to pass at the CRCOG level, it will have to be approved first by the entity’s executive committee then the general forum, although it is not known if the resolution will appear on a future executive committee agenda.

Future CRCOG executive committee meetings will be held on the third Tuesday of each month.