COLUMBIA — Pitching the measure as a rebuke to Lancaster city enacting a "Welcoming City" ordinance, Columbia Borough Council on Tuesday passed a resolution pledging full cooperation with any and all federal immigration enforcement.
The vote was 6-0; Councilwoman Joanne Price was absent.
Columbia has been cooperating with Immigration & Customs Enforcement all along, city officials and Chief Jack Brommer said, so the resolution doesn't materially alter existing practice. By making an explicit public declaration, however, the borough can signal to its citizens that it is paying attention and that "this is where we stand," Council President Heather Zink said.
Lancaster City Council's action, taken in February, was likewise a codification of already existing policy. For some time, the city has barred elected officials and employees, including police, from asking about immigration status in almost all instances, unless obliged by law or court order.
"I believe that codifying that long-standing policy into an ordinance makes our city a better place because residents will not be afraid to report crimes or make other requests to the city government," Lancaster City Council President Amanda Bakay said.
She expressed disappointment at Columbia's resolution and contended it is based on misinformation about Lancaster's ordinance, "which is plentiful."
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