On Monday, January 26th, Mayor Sean Ryan signed an Executive Order banning any use of City of Buffalo funds, property, equipment, processes, or personnel to enforce federal civil immigration enforcement. 

That means that every government agency, from the police to the Department of Public Works to the Parking Violations Bureau, is prohibited from cooperating with or assisting ICE. City employees cannot use your immigration status to limit your access to city services, and they cannot share your information with the federal government to help them enforce their immigration policies.

For example, the police could not alert ICE that they have an immigrant in custody in order to help with deportation. The City Clerk’s Office cannot refuse to honor your application for a marriage license. Citizen Services 311 cannot allow federal officials to comb through their office files.

ICE is endangering our families, our freedoms, and our futures—both in Buffalo and across the US. Local and state governments must stand up to violent and antidemocratic federal efforts, and we thank Mayor Ryan for taking this first step.

PPG is eager to observe how this executive order will be put into action, and we hope to see all parts of city government wholeheartedly embrace this as a mandate to keep Buffalo secure and welcoming. As a city, we must continue to strengthen civil protections for all our residents, regardless of immigration status, ethnicity, religion, or race.