State College Borough Council President Evan Myers made several remarks during a council meeting on Monday to a list of “sanctuary jurisdictions” that was published — and later taken down — by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that included both State College and Centre County.
According to a press release by the DHS, the list — created to fulfill an executive order by President Donald Trump — was meant to “identify and publicly highlight jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.”
The press release also demanded that these jurisdictions revise their policies to align with federal immigration laws.
Meyers expressed frustration with the DHS’s description of the list and how it attempts to shift blame onto the listed jurisdictions.
“DHS issues this provocative statement that communities are violating the law and then it goes on to say, ‘Well, maybe not; figure it out for yourself,’” Meyers said. “They’re actually the agency that’s making the claim.”
Meyers also mentioned a report by FOX News in which Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem mentioned continued use of a list to catalog sanctuary jurisdictions, and expressed his frustration, asking the room, “Is your head spinning yet?”
He went on to state that the State College Police Department does not have any policies to enforce federal immigration law and considers that responsibility to be one that belongs to federal enforcement agencies.
“We wouldn’t expect ICE to enforce our traffic laws or give out parking tickets,” Meyers said. “It’s not their jurisdiction, like immigration measures are not in ours.”
Meyers clarified that State College had not declared itself a sanctuary city but did state that the borough will continue to express the values of “promoting an open, diverse and welcoming community,” and urged the Trump administration to “stop playing with people’s lives.”
Mayor Ezra Nanes thanked Meyers for his remarks and shared his own frustrations with the DHS’s actions.
“When the Department of Homeland Security released its list of so-called ‘sanctuary jurisdictions,’ it did more than name communities,” Nanes said. “It pointed a finger at elected officials and implied wrongdoing.”
Nanes described the language used by Noem in the press release as “inflammatory… accusatory without evidence… and (language that) uses broad, harmful labels to target entire groups of people.” He said such statements “create stress,” and “waste time.”
“The time we spend serving and working for our community is precious,” Nanes said. “ We’ve earned the right to be treated with decency, professionalism and respect for our time.”
Nanes concluded by stating that State College is committed to “building a community that is safe, thriving and honors the dignity of all people.”
Council member Gopal Balachandran praised Meyers and Nanes for speaking out and shared his own thoughts about the division of duties between local and federal agencies
“Local government and policing are distinct from federal law enforcement and enforcement of federal laws,” Balachandran said. “It’s important to realize the separation of powers that’s enshrined in our constitution is not only between the different branches of the federal government, but it’s also about the relationship between state and local governments and the federal government.”
Balachandran added that the enforcement immigration laws is not a “core function” of local governments or law enforcement, and requiring the SCPD to do so would remove resources from their intended duties, while also affecting how State College residents interacted with local law enforcement.
He also called State College’s current stance on policies towards immigration“wise,” and noted that the model used by the borough has been “replicated by communities throughout the country — red or blue.”
MORE BOROUGH COVERAGE
The Department of Homeland Security has designated State College as a “sanctuary jurisdictio…
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