Residents remain divided over ICE agreement
For the third consecutive Butler County commissioners meeting, residents spoke out about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s ongoing effort to apprehend undocumented immigrants.
Most of the 11 residents who spoke Wednesday, Feb. 25, asked the commissioners to rescind the agreement Sheriff Mike Slupe signed in June to assist the federal agency.
Commissioners did not respond to any of the comments.
Krista Washkau, of Butler, who has voiced her opinion during all three meetings, said federal agents are bringing violence to communities. She said the agreement should be dissolved and the commissioners should refuse to fund any county agency that assists the federal effort.
Catherine Lalonde, a Lancaster Township resident and chairwoman of the Butler County Democratic Committee, said the sheriff’s office should concentrate on serving the more than 1,000 warrants awaiting action in the county.
She said illegally entering the country is a misdemeanor offense and being an undocumented alien is not a federal crime.
Barbara Davidson, of Center Township, said she supports Slupe and federal agency’s efforts, like she did at the last commissioners meeting.
“I wanted to thank President (Donald) Trump, (Homeland Security) Secretary Kristi Noem and ICE for removing illegal criminal aliens from my home state of Pennsylvania,” Davidson said.
She read a list of people from other countries who have been taken into custody for committing crimes in the state.
“I believe the majority of the people targeted by ICE do not have a criminal record,” said Donald Vigliotti, of Sarver.
He said he doesn’t want the sheriff’s office to be involved in incidents like the killing of people protesting the federal effort in Minneapolis. The county could be sued if such an incident occurred, he said.
Karen Anzelone, of Sarver, said she is a retired Defense Department contracting officer. Federal employees are not allowed to obligate the government to spend money or take action, but that is what Slupe has done to the county by signing the agreement.
She said only the commissioners have the authority to bind the county into such an agreement, and the commissioners should openly approve the agreement if they support the federal operation.
Alyssa Peters, of Cranberry Township, who spoke at the last meeting, A. David Paul, of Zelienople, Jared Negley, of Harmony, Connie Frierson, of Forward Township, Peter Donovan, of Forward Township, and another resident also urged the commissioners to rescind the agreement.
