State College Borough Council to develop ICE ordinance after residents’ demands
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Council president Evan Myers said an ICE ordinance will appear on the agenda by July 6.
- The proposed ordinance responds to resident demands and local anti‑ICE protests.
- Council previously voted table a resolution calling for ICE reforms.
A proposed ordinance to protect the community from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is expected to be placed on the State College Borough Council’s agenda no later than July 6, council president Evan Myers said during Monday’s meeting.
It follows local anti-ICE protests and demands from residents that the council pass a binding ordinance prohibiting State College’s collaboration with ICE. A resolution brought forward by council member Matt Herndon earlier this year calling for ICE reforms was debated by council, which ultimately voted 4-2 to table it.
“The spotlight is already on us,” Myers said. “After the last resolution failed, I asked for the borough manager to focus on what kind of ordinance that might have a force of law that we could pass that would work here in Pennsylvania, and that process is almost complete.”
The council is currently gathering all necessary information to ensure the ordinance is legally enforceable, he said, adding that the decision to revisit an ordinance was prompted by the community’s ongoing concern and action efforts.
Most recently about 40 people, organized by the People’s Defense Front and the Student Committee for Defense and Solidarity, protested outside the council chambers last month, with some also attending the council meeting to demand action.
Myers also condemned the ongoing inhumane treatment of detainees by referencing a Washington Post report that exposed the pervasive use of force in detention centers specifically outlining the use of physical tactics and chemical agents by guards against detainees, even those simply requesting essential needs like food, water or medical attention. He said this was another compelling reason for legislative action.
“We stand on the side of those that act to unite this community,” Myers said. “We oppose that kind of ICE intimidation and are against those that would divide us based on some false narrative of who we are and what we stand for.”
While debating the resolution calling for ICE reforms in February, some council members shared concerns that it wasn’t backed up by actions and worried that it could have a negative impact on the immigrant community by drawing unwanted attention from ICE to the borough.
Borough officials have reiterated that State College police does not assist ICE.
Mayor Ezra Nanes, who cannot vote on council actions, spoke on the recent accusations that borough police assisted ICE in March, saying they were false claims that harm the well-being of the community.
“False claims about public officials are not harmless,” he said. “They can deepen division in the community they’re trying to serve and make it harder to do urgent, careful and necessary work that is before us.”
During public comment on Monday, the Rev. Tracy Sprowls, minister of Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Centre County and member of the Centre County Rapid Response Network, expressed gratitude and relief for the council’s willingness to revisit an ordinance. Centre County Rapid Response Network and other groups have asked for assurances that State College will not collaborate with ICE, never sign agreements to cooperate with ICE, never lease a local facility to ICE and more.
“I want to express my appreciation for listening to us continuously over the last few months about our concern for the immigrant population and for the ordinance we would like passed,” Sprowls said.
Sprowl said she would facilitate a meeting between at-risk community members she works with and the council so they can share their stories.
“We have been talking to the communities that we deal with,” she said. “We will be sending out invitations so you can hear their stories personally.”
Other community members who spoke urged the council to vote in favor of the ordinance once it comes up, citing inaction as dangerous.
“At a moment like this, we can’t turn a blind eye, the only way to keep safe is to stand up against threats to our community,” Nicholas Dudek, a State College resident said.
