Easton Mayor Withdraws ‘Welcoming City’ Ordinance Vote Amid Trump Deportation Threats
Easton, Pennsylvania, has withdrawn a scheduled vote on a ‘Welcoming City’ ordinance following concerns over President Donald Trump’s deportation agenda and the potential federal funding cuts. The city’s mayor, Sal Panto Jr., and the majority of the city council decided to remove the ordinance from the agenda, citing the risk of targeting the city for its stance. Councilwoman Taiba Sultana lamented the decision, arguing that the city’s welcoming nature is already evident in its policies and that the move was a matter of pragmatism rather than principle.
The decision comes amid heightened scrutiny of sanctuary cities, with Attorney General Pam Bondi threatening legal action and funding withdrawals. Other cities in the Lehigh Valley have faced similar debates, with some choosing not to pass similar ordinances, while others, like Allentown, have codified their pro-immigrant policies. Councilman Frank Pintabone told Lehigh Valley News the ‘Welcoming City’ ordinance sought to ‘fix a problem that doesn’t exist,’ pointing to much heavier ICE activity in Allentown versus only two detentions so far in Easton.
Panto said Easton remains a ‘welcoming city’ in a proverbial sense and doesn’t need such a moniker: ‘We welcomed every immigrant. I think our record shows that.’ A GOP official in Northampton County — whose parents immigrated legally to Easton from Cuba and Austria — criticized the idea of a ‘Welcoming City’ or sanctuary ordinance, noting that his family already felt welcomed when they arrived.