A Pennsylvania county proposal would block some ICE-experienced candidates from law enforcement roles pending a risk-based review.
Candidates with experience at Immigration and Customs Enforcement may not be hired for certain law enforcement positions under a proposed risk-based policy in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, a first-of-its-kind move outlined in a new memorandum that cites concerns about training standards, use-of-force data and potential financial liability.
The proposal, issued by Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley and submitted to County Executive Josh Siegel and the Board of Commissioners, would require additional review and legal approval before candidates, includingThe county should not hire candidates for the sheriff's office or correctional positions if their prior law enforcement experience was obtained at ICE, according to the Lehigh County Controller's Office recommendation obtained by"I'm very concerned … part of what's happening is the people that are being hired at ICE are being influenced by white nationalist advertisers," Pinsley toldin a phone interview."If you're being influenced once again by a white nationalist ad and you're joining ICE, then I personally don't necessarily want you to be a part of the county.""I'm Jewish, so when we're looking at white nationalism, that impacts me directly. It impacts my friends who aren't just Jewish but believe in the faith of Islam, people that are of color," Pinsley said, adding of potential candidates from ICE,"We don't need them here."Under the framework in the memo, applicants are evaluated using two primary benchmarks: the number of basic training hours completed by their previous agency and that agency's historical record in fatal use-of-force incidents. Candidates whose prior experience falls below defined thresholds in both categories would not advance without explicit authorization from county leadership and legal counsel. The memo said ICE fell below both thresholds. "Any such candidate should undergo an individualized review by county leadership and legal counsel before being considered for hire," the memo said, noting that"ICE cut basic training from five months to as little as six weeks, more than doubled its workforce, and ran an official recruitment campaign that extremism researchers at the Southern Poverty Law Center formally characterized as echoing white nationalist messaging." The memorandum says the policy would apply uniformly to all candidates with prior law enforcement experience and is not intended as a blanket exclusion of any single agency, such as ICE. Instead, it uses standardized criteria designed to flag applicants for closer review based on measurable indicators. "The Controller's Office recommends that Lehigh County immediately suspend advancement of any law enforcement candidate with ICE experience obtained on or after January 20, 2025, pending individualized review by county leadership and legal counsel," Pinsley wrote in an email reviewed byThe proposal also draws on peer-reviewed research suggesting that officers may revert to behavioral patterns formed during prior service when operating under stress, arguing that retraining alone may not fully eliminate those influences. Financial exposure is another central factor cited in the memo. The Controller's Office said police misconduct settlements can reach into the millions of dollars nationally, arguing that a single hiring decision could carry long-term fiscal consequences for the county. Pinsley said his role is to serve as a fiscal watchdog overseeing county finances and identifying potential risks. "Basically, I'm a fiscal watchdog," he said."The goal is to either, after the fact, understand what we have done and try to make course corrections for the future financially, or in advance try to identify things that may cost the county money and make recommendations ahead of time to stop bad things from happening." Earlier this year, Pinsley ended his campaign for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District and instead plans to seek the Democratic nomination for the 16th State Senate District. ICE has undergone a rapid expansion under the Trump administration, with 12,000 new agents added to its ranks as enforcement operations have grown. The agency was, supervision and accountability mechanisms. Critics argue that the pace and scale of recruitment could place additional strain on an agency already under the microscope after federal immigration officersPinsley said the next steps rest with the county executive, who will review the report with his staff, consider input from the Board of Commissioners and ultimately decide whether to adopt or modify the proposal as part of the county's administrative process., ours is different: The Courageous Center—it's not"both sides," it's sharp, challenging and alive with ideas. We follow facts, not factions. If that sounds like the kind of journalism you want to see thrive, we need you., you support a mission to keep the center strong and vibrant. Members enjoy: Ad-free browsing, exclusive content and editor conversations.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
ICE agents may remain at airports even after TSA agents get paidWhite House border czar Tom Homan suggested Sunday that security levels would remain 'at a high level.'
Read more »
White House: TSA Officers to Be Paid Soon, ICE Agents to Remain at AirportsBorder czar Tom Homan indicated that TSA officers will hopefully be paid by Monday or Tuesday. ICE agents will remain at airports until normal operations resume. The government shutdown continues to impact airport security.
Read more »
Homan: TSA Officers 'Hopefully' Paid by Monday or Tuesday; ICE Agents to Remain at AirportsBorder czar Tom Homan stated that TSA officers are expected to be paid soon, with ICE agents remaining at airports until normal TSA operations resume. The situation is being assessed based on the number of returning TSA agents and those who may have quit.
Read more »
ICE Agents to Remain at Airports Amid Shutdown, DHS Funding StandoffDue to the ongoing government shutdown and a standoff over immigration policy, ICE agents will remain at airports to assist TSA workers, leading to potential delays and security concerns. The House seeks to pass a continuing resolution while negotiations continue, and the president aims to secure airports amid an increased threat posture.
Read more »
Trump Official Says Federal Agents Should Hit Anti-ICE ProtestersInternal emails from a senior Trump official show he suggested agents responding to protests should have used physical force.
Read more »
Partial TSA back pay starts processing as ICE agents deployed to help ease airport linesTravelers across the United States are facing unusually long airport lines, with some reporting hours-long waits, missed flights, and widespread disruptions.
Read more »