York Mayor Walker says city will not sign ICE cooperation agreement

The City of York will not participate in a 287(g) agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to a news release from Mayor Sandie Walker.

The city issued the “clarification” because neighboring West York Borough in August 2025 signed a 287(g) agreement, which allows state and local departments to enforce limited immigration authority while conducting routine duties.

West York was the first department in York County to sign such an agreement, which Chief Matt Millsaps last year said allowed him and some of his staff to receive training to be better educated and understand the rules when they are asked for assistance from ICE

“Public safety depends on people feeling safe coming forward,” said York City Mayor Sandie Walker. “When residents fear that interacting with local police could lead to immigration consequences, they stop reporting crimes, they stop cooperating as witnesses, and our entire community becomes less safe. Our focus is on building trust, not creating barriers.”

According to the release, York City will continue to comply with all federal and state laws, but its department will concentrate on community policing, emergency response and crime prevention instead of federal immigration enforcement.

“Our officers are here to protect and serve everyone who lives in or visits York,” Walker added. “We believe that trust is one of the most powerful tools we have, and we are committed to preserving it.”

In 2024, then Mayor Michael Helfrich clashed with the York City Council over immigration rights, with the council voting 4-3 to declare York as a sanctuary city. Helfrich vetoed the ordinance, arguing that it was meaningless and could cost the city more than $2 million in federal funding. He left in place a previous executive order that declared York “a welcoming city” and forbids discrimination in city services based on immigration status.

The announcement by the city about no 287(g) agreements comes in the wake of ICE protests in York and across the nation after the Jan. 7 shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis.