(Maire Clayton, Headline USA) As President Donald Trump’s administration begins to crack down on illegal immigration, the Pittsburgh mayor announced Monday he would not work with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Democrat Mayor Ed Gainey made the comment while speaking with the PA Press Club.
“I am not going to be working with ICE,” the mayor bluntly stated. “My administration will not work with ICE.”
Gainey tried to claim ICE would do more harm for the city than good.
“ICE is not going to end the situation of a failed immigration policy. It’s not going to do it,” he added. “What it is going to do is create more situations where people feel scared. Where people don’t feel safe. Where people do things they normally wouldn’t do.”
He stated he believes there needs to be a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants.
After the statement, Fox News Digital received a statement from Gainey’s office stating they have not heard from ICE.
“Currently, the City of Pittsburgh has no evidence of ICE activity occurring within city limits and has not been asked to assist the agency in any way,” the statement read. “ICE is a federal law enforcement agency that works outside of City control.”
Numerous Democrats have already stated they do not plan to comply with the Trump administration’s immigration policy.
Austin City Council member and Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes said local law enforcement would not aid ICE and would not enforce federal immigration laws.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston claimed on Jan. 21 that there should be places to provide sanctuary for illegal immigrants. He previously stated he was “not afraid” of going to jail for not following the federal law regarding immigration.
While some Democrats fight the new administration, New York City Mayor Eric Adams embraced it and met with Trump’s “border czar” Tom Homan in December 2024 to discuss how the two could wok together.
