The Ithaca Common Council officially reaffirmed the city's “sanctuary” policies on Wednesday.
Those pre-existing policies limit city employee involvement with federal immigration enforcement. They also prohibit city cooperation with potential investigations into recipients and providers of gender-affirming health care and abortion care.
The council voted unanimously in favor of a resolution emphasizing the city’s commitment to those pre-existing policies.
On Thursday, the Justice Department announced it is suing the state of Illinois, Cook County and the city of Chicago for their sanctuary policies.
Additionally, Ithaca’s resolution passed the same day as U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered the Department of Justice to pause its grants and funding for “sanctuary jurisdictions”.
The move echoes a 2017 effort by the Trump administration to withhold federal money from sanctuary cities. However, that executive order was struck down by a judge.
Ithaca Mayor Robert Cantelmo said that despite external pressures, the city remains committed to upholding its sanctuary laws.
“Our values and our policies have not changed, nor will they change in the face of changes in the disposition of the federal government,” Cantelmo said.
Although the resolution passed, Third Ward Alderperson Pierre Saint-Perez said it is important to remember those protections are limited. Outside agencies can still conduct their operations in the city.
“Essentially, the most we can do in most cases, is simply not comply or not participate in oppressive actions that are being taken,” Saint-Perez said.
This comes after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested one person, Jesus Romero-Hernandez, in Ithaca last week. The resolution was scheduled for a vote before that arrest took place.
Romero-Hernandez, a Mexican citizen, was federally charged with reentering the country after a prior removal.
According to the Office of Public Affairs, the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office released Romero-Hernandez, who had finished serving time for a third-degree assault charge, from county jail before ICE arrived to collect him for federal immigration court.
Acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove called for a federal investigation of Tompkins County Sheriff Derek Osbourn and “potential prosecution” in relation to the circumstances of Romero-Hernandez’ release.
County officials said there was no interference with federal immigration enforcement. A statement from the county said the Department of Justice’s “assertion that the Tompkins County Sheriff did anything to put federal law enforcement officers in danger is false and offensive.”
The city of Ithaca said that police did not assist with that arrest, in accordance with the city’s sanctuary policies.
