A county in western Pennsylvania announced last week that it has terminated its designation as a "sanctuary county" for illegal immigrants amid what the county commissioner described as "heartache and angst."
Butler County, which is part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, was listed online prior to Feb. 21 as a location that impedes immigration enforcement policies, according to local ABC affiliate WTAE.
Butler County had been included in a list compiled by the Center for Immigration Studies that includes other cities and counties in Pennsylvania, such as Philadelphia and Allegheny County.
PENNSYLVANIA REPUBLICANS SEEK TO LEVY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS' REMITTANCES TO FUND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF
The county prison board provided clarity last week regarding its association with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
As per the policy, the Butler County Prison will acknowledge ICE detainers that contain a warrant, send a list of prisoners to ICE on a weekly basis and permit ICE access to the facility and inmates as necessary.
"The sanctuary designation did not reflect our intentions or practices," said Republican state Rep. Stephenie Scialabba, who led the movement to remove the designation from Butler County. "We are a county of security and law and order."
According to County Commissioner Kim Geyer, the sanctuary designation "created a lot of heartache and angst" among residents who felt it did not reflect Butler County's values.
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Authorities said they support and promote legal immigration, but they have pinpointed the drug trafficking they are witnessing as a concern because of an influx of illegal immigration.
