Columbus City Council advances proposals limiting local role in ICE activity amid pending Ohio legislation

A legislative package framed around city limits, identification standards and public access concerns

Columbus City Council members are moving forward with a set of proposals aimed at tightening how the city interacts with federal immigration enforcement, following recent reports of increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Central Ohio. City officials have reiterated that Columbus does not assist ICE with civil immigration enforcement and that local public safety resources are not used for immigration-only operations.

The council package, as described by city leaders, is designed to formalize and expand guardrails around information-sharing and partnerships with federal agencies, while also creating new local protections in sensitive settings such as schools and child care facilities. The proposals also address the city’s approach to detention-related permitting and the documentation of alleged crimes targeting residents.

Key elements under consideration

• Administrative limits on information-sharing and formal partnerships with federal agencies, establishing clearer internal rules for city departments.

• New city-level enforcement tools targeting harassment near schools and daycares, reflecting heightened concerns among families and educators.

• A framework to investigate and preserve evidence of crimes committed against residents, including incidents tied to community fear surrounding enforcement activity.

• A restriction on permitting detention centers, signaling opposition to the siting or expansion of immigration detention facilities through city processes.

Standards for federal agents operating locally

Council is also considering a separate action stemming from the city’s Commission on Immigrant and Refugee Affairs. That measure calls for ICE to meet professionalism, training, identification and accountability standards comparable to those required of Columbus Division of Police officers. City officials have said reports of officers operating without clear identification have contributed to confusion, fear and uncertainty among residents.

City leaders have said the goal is to preserve residents’ willingness to report crimes, seek medical help and send children to school without fear tied to immigration enforcement.

Statehouse proposals could limit local discretion

Columbus’ effort is unfolding as Ohio lawmakers consider legislation that would require broader cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and impose penalties on jurisdictions that do not comply. Measures under discussion include proposals that would condition funding on cooperation, require certain agencies to collect and report citizenship or immigration-status data, and alter how immigration status is weighed in parts of the criminal court process. Separate legislation has also been introduced concerning hospital access and cooperation in immigration enforcement contexts.

City leaders have indicated Columbus will comply with applicable law, while also pursuing local policies where municipal authority is clear. A public hearing on the city’s proposals is scheduled for Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at 5:15 p.m. at Columbus City Hall.

What happens next

Council action could include votes on ordinances and resolutions as hearings proceed. Even if adopted, the practical impact will hinge on how state legislation advances and how federal immigration operations continue in Central Ohio, including whether ICE activity remains visible in neighborhoods, near schools, and around workplaces.

For city agencies, the immediate effect of the council package—if passed—would be more explicit rules governing cooperation, recordkeeping and enforcement boundaries, alongside locally enforceable protections focused on harassment and public access to services.