Dozens of advocates filled the Pittsburgh City Council chambers Wednesday during a public comment period before council members in an effort to spur officials to designate Pittsburgh as an official sanctuary city for undocumented immigrants.
The public comment period was brought to city council by a petition campaign driven by Pittsburgh Sanctuary City Coalition. Public forums in front of city council can be triggered by petitions with 25 collected signatures.
Pittsburgh Sanctuary City Coalition’s petition requests that city council pass legislation that would codify Pittsburgh as a so-called “sanctuary city”, which would make it illegal for any city agencies and the Pittsburgh City Police to collaborate with U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE). There is no drafted legislation to designate Pittsburgh as a sanctuary city currently in city council.