The city of Pittsburgh recently hired a new chief of police. During his interview for the job, he was asked by city council about his intentions regarding cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and providing information and sharing a person’s immigration status. His response was, “Our job is not immigration enforcement … our job is to protect and serve the residents of Pittsburgh.”

Similarly, Butler County Sheriff Mike Slupe’s job is not immigration enforcement. It is to conduct sheriff’s sales, execute writs and serve process as dictated by the county code.

According to the Butler Eagle, as of August 2025, there were more than 1,400 warrants the sheriff’s office had not served. His request to hire two additional deputies to work on this backlog was approved by the commissioners. How is it then, that he can commit 12 of his deputies to 40 hours of online training, at taxpayer expense, and offer their services to ICE.

I expect that most of us who voted for Sheriff Slupe never signed on to have him assist arresting immigrants at restaurants and construction sites in Cranberry Township. It’s time for the commissioners and Sheriff Slupe to step up and do what was done in Bucks County and end the partnership with ICE. To do otherwise is to lend support to ICE’s brutal and inhumane tactics.

Philip P. Lope,

Zelienople