Easton adopts resolution supporting immigrants after months of debate

EASTON, Pa. — Easton City Council unanimously approved a long-awaited resolution pledging support and protection for immigrant communities, a move residents and advocates described as overdue amid ongoing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in the region.

The measure updates a 2017 resolution introduced by Councilman Roger Ruggles and comes after a broader “welcoming city” ordinance — championed by Councilwoman Taiba Sultana — stalled earlier this year. Sultana joined all council members and Mayor Salvatore J. Panto Jr. as co-sponsors of the updated proposal.

Residents have spent much of the past year pushing for stronger immigrant protections, turning out repeatedly at council meetings.

“Easton has always prided itself on being vibrant, diverse and forward thinking,” resident Ronald Byron Johnson said. “Passing a welcoming resolution is a natural continuation of that identity. It simply puts into writing what many of us already know.”

Johnson emphasized that the city still needs an ordinance with legal force, calling it a necessary safeguard for the most vulnerable residents. Panto reiterated Wednesday that the new measure is not an ordinance, saying earlier proposals carried “a lot of restraints” that council was unwilling to adopt.

“I am all in favor of protecting every person,” Panto said. “I don’t like what ICE is doing. I don’t like what the federal government is doing — but that will be changed, hopefully in the near future. That’s the great thing about our country. We get to change who we want to lead us.”

What the resolution says

The resolution lists a series of findings about immigrants’ contributions to the United States and to Easton specifically, citing economic, cultural and workforce impacts. It notes that limited federal action on immigration has created instability for families and forced local governments to navigate confusion.

One section advises city employees not to request, record or access information about a person’s immigration status unless required by law, and not to disclose such information except when mandated. It states that city resources should not be used to assist federal immigration enforcement unless required.

The measure expresses opposition to separating law-abiding families and supports due-process protections. It also endorses expanded legal pathways to citizenship, calls for partnerships offering legal assistance and English-language learning and urges a regional discussion on workforce shortages.

Council will send the resolution to President Donald Trump, U.S. Sens. John Fetterman and Dave McCormick, U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie and 21 municipalities. Those cities will be asked to pass similar resolutions and forward them to at least 10 additional councils.

Residents say fear has grown

During public comment, resident Mark Rosenzweig said stepped-up federal enforcement has left immigrant families in the Lehigh Valley “living with heightened fear.” He argued that Easton’s previous 2017 guidance lacked clarity.

“Let’s make it plain that Easton won’t be a pipeline feeding our families into federal detention,” Rosenzweig said. “Let us affirm that our city won’t be used as an arm of immigration enforcement. Let us build the kind of trust that strengthens communities rather than fractures them.”

Wednesday’s vote follows a tense debate at an October meeting, when an earlier version of the resolution was tabled after disagreements among council members. At that meeting, residents urged council to take action.

“The time is now to act for the people who are being kidnapped,” resident Dominic Trabosci said. “This is the least we could be doing.”

Others framed immigration as central to Easton’s identity.

“Immigration is not an issue in the United States; it’s the foundation of every family’s story here,” said another resident, Luke.

But there was also opposition. One community member warned that the resolution could function as a “sanctuary city” policy in practice, arguing the city should focus on “people here who are here legally.”

Months of friction

The issue has been a flashpoint since February, when Sultana introduced a welcoming city ordinance that would have limited the ways city workers interact with federal immigration officials after a series of ICE arrests. That proposal was pulled from the August agenda amid concerns it could give residents “a false sense of security” or attract federal scrutiny.

During the October meeting, some council members criticized Sultana for including language from the earlier ordinance, calling the measure symbolic. Sultana pushed back, arguing that undocumented immigrants “can’t vote for you,” making them easy to overlook in policymaking.

Despite those disagreements, council reached a unanimous vote Wednesday.

“Immigrants living in Pennsylvania contribute $523 million in tax revenue,” Sultana said in October. “This is merely a resolution and the bare minimum we could do.”

With Wednesday’s passage, Easton becomes the latest municipality in the Lehigh Valley to formally urge federal and regional partners to reaffirm support for immigrant communities.