BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The Bethlehem Police Department’s mission is to ensure the safety and well-being of all residents, regardless of their immigration status, Police Chief Michelle Kott told City Council and a crowded Town Hall on Tuesday.
Kott's comments came as more than 30 people at a council meeting asked the board to follow the lead of Allentown and consider passing a welcoming city ordinance to protect immigrants living in Bethlehem.
Speakers shared their disdain for recent nationwide activity by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and what it could mean for the city’s undocumented population.
Chief: BPD not authorized to deport
Saying she was looking to “dispel some rumors and quell some fears,” Kott said her department has no legal grounds to deport. That’s enforced by federal agencies, she said.
BPD staff would remain focused on maintaining community trust, enforce local and state laws and continue relevant discretion training, she said.
“While the department will, of course, enforce all federal warrants and court orders, we do not routinely inquire about an individual’s immigration status as part of our regular duties," Kott said.
"Nor do we participate in ICE’s 287(g) program, which allows selected local and state law enforcement officers the ability to enforce federal immigration laws."
Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds, citing his faith in the city’s police and legal team, spoke to the near-full house gathered. Even Boy Scout Troop 318 was present for their citizen and community badges.
“While the department will, of course, enforce all federal warrants and court orders, we do not routinely inquire about an individual’s immigration status as part of our regular duties."Bethlehem Police Chief Michelle Kott
“If you have 100 days, you might have 100 different situations, and you don’t exactly understand how you’re going to respond until you understand what the situation is,” Reynolds said. “We use our judgment.
“We use the fact that we’re CALEA-certified, we use the fact that we need to follow state and federal law. And then we also need to work with our legal bureau in an ever-changing environment.”
Kott said the local immigrant population doesn’t have to be afraid to report crimes to BPD in fear of retribution.
She said T- and U-visas are potential options for the undocumented who report serious crimes to police, and BPD would assist in acquiring those credentials.
If someone knocks on your door claiming to be BPD and claiming to have a warrant, Kott said to reach out to her team.
She said to call 911, the Northampton County non-emergency number at 610-865-7187 or the city service center at 610-865-7000 for verification.
'We continue to thrive'
Karen Vasquez, originally from Mexico, said she was at the meeting on behalf of her mother, sister and younger brother.
“We continue to thrive, to dance, to sing, to learn, to joke, to laugh and to bring so much livelihood and spirit to this country,” Vasquez said.
“And even then, I fear that most of you will enjoy the fruits of our labor, savor our food, listen to our music and discard us as cold leftovers when all is said and done.”
“We should keep our residents safe whether or not they’re documented.”Regina Padilla, originally of South Bethlehem
Resident Valerie Noonan said, “I’ve been made aware that Bethlehem already does a lot of the things included in the ‘welcoming cities’ criteria, which is great.
“But as the federal government has taught us, anything that’s not codified can be stripped back very quickly.”
Regina Padilla, who was born and raised in Southside Bethlehem but now is an Allentown resident, said, “We should keep our residents safe whether or not they’re documented.”
“After stiffing us on a cease-fire resolution for Gaza, I am pessimistic that this council will find its courage to act progressively on the matter of immigration,” Daniel Carapezzi said.
“But I urge that you are responsible for the rights and well-being of every single person who resides in the community — regardless of documentation and status — because we have a higher duty to humanity that sees no borders and no barriers.”
“I am not against immigrants; I am a proud product of it. But there has to be some control on it.”West Bethlehem resident Mary Jo Makoul, who said her grandparents and great-grandparents came to America from Austria
Mary Jo Makoul said her grandparents and great-grandparents came to America from Austria in the early 20th century.
“I am not against immigrants; I am a proud product of it,” Makoul said. “But there has to be some control on it.”
William Scheirer, city resident, said, “When I hear these people talk about their parents being deported — it’s not right. It’s heartless. This administration is heartless and arrogant.
"Democrats have got to get their act together because they’re the only force of resistance.”
'What the people of Bethlehem want'
Jasmine Bao, who called herself a "proud" Chinese-American who’s on staff at Lehigh University, said even though she was naturalized many years ago, recent news out of Washington still makes her nervous.
“I believe that by following in the footsteps of Allentown, introducing concrete policies, this will create a wave that serves as inspiration to other places around the country — but most importantly, within each other, within the community,” Bao said.
A woman who identified herself as Victoria, a current Lehigh University student who has roots in Colombia and Spain, said, “Please give us a protection that apparently the government is stripping away from us.
"Because even this little bit of protection goes a long way to making us feel that much safer in a place where we’re supposed to be able to dream as big as we can.”
“I believe that by following in the footsteps of Allentown, introducing concrete policies, this will create a wave that serves as inspiration to other places around the country — but most importantly, within each other, within the community."Jasmine Bao, a local, "proud Chinese-American"
“This is what the people of Bethlehem want,” said West Bethlehem resident Chris Devlin, who said his girlfriend of 13 years came to America from Colombia when she was 9 years old.
According to the South Bethlehem Historical Society, the city would be nothing without its immigrants.
“With every ensuing year, waves of ethnic immigrant labor found employment in the production of steel, and as South Bethlehem’s population increased, so did the establishment of working class neighborhoods and churches,” its website states.
“Affluent investors and executives on Fountain Hill lived in sharp contrast to the thousands of skilled immigrant workers who labored in the steel mill, the cigar factories and the silk mills in South Bethlehem."
'Uncharted territory'
“I would just hope that if that situation arises in the weeks to come, months to come, that you are involved with that decision-making, because at the end of the day, the buck stops with you,” Councilman Bryan Callahan said to the mayor of ICE potentially coming to town.
Councilwoman Grace Cramspie Smith said, “I think it’s really important that we be strong, and we do not succumb to the fear and anxiety. We have to stay united together.”
“I think it’s really important that we be strong, and we do not succumb to the fear and anxiety. We have to stay united together.”Bethlehem City Councilwoman Grace Cramspie Smith
Councilwoman Kiera Wilhelm said to the public commenters, “We heard your passion, we heard your emotion, we heard your critical thinking and commentary and your pain, as well.”
Council President Michael Colón called recent times “uncharted territory in the history of this country.”
A freedom rally is set for 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, at the Rose Garden, between West Union Boulevard and Eighth Avenue.
A local look
Allentown City Council recently introduced a welcoming city bill that would — unless required otherwise by federal law — block city employees from sharing immigration statuses of city residents and from helping federal officials on the matter.
A presidential executive order, “Protecting the American People Against Invasion,” was released Jan. 20. It read that many of the undocumented “unlawfully within the United States present significant threats to national security and public safety, committing vile and heinous acts against innocent Americans.”
Another Jan. 20 order called for the end of birthright citizenship, as outlined in the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. A federal judge has blocked the order for now.
On Jan. 29, President Trump signed the Laken Riley Act into law — his first piece of legislation of the new term.
If accused of theft and/or violent crimes, undocumented immigrants would be mandated to federal detention under the new legislation.
On Tuesday, ICE reported its arrest of a suspected Venezuelan gang member without incident in Easton.
The suspect was described as "a citizen and national of Venezuela who previously entered the United States without inspection." BPD reportedly arrested him in May for indecent assault of a person less than 16 years old and other related charges.
