Gianna Hayes
Chief News Editor
On Monday, March 2, over 40 Wooster community members protested outside of City Hall on Market St. Gathering as early as 6:00 p.m., many protesters came to urge city council members to denounce local government and law enforcement cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
One of the ways in which local governments cooperate with ICE is through 287(g) agreements, which allow them to act on behalf of immigration agents. Ohio currently has 13 different County Sheriff’s Offices and Municipality Police Departments participating in the 287(g) program. This includes the county jails in Medina, Mahoning, Franklin and Delaware counties. Neither Wooster nor Wayne County currently have a 287(g) agreement.
The protest was largely organized by the Wooster Advocacy Group, a local organization that “defends people, democracy, and the planet,” according to their Facebook page. The Wooster Advocacy Group has previously been involved in organizing protests in downtown Wooster, on the corners of Market St. and Liberty St. Monday’s protest was in collaboration with Wooster’s local chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).
While the protest was mostly composed of local community members, a few College of Wooster students were also in attendance. Kyle, a senior who desired to be known only by his first name, shared that he came to the protest to address his concerns on potential legislation in the Ohio House and Senate. “We’ve seen what an immigration surge will bring to a city — even though this is small-town Ohio … there are still many at-risk communities in Ohio, many of them may lack the community support that you can find in a large city like Minneapolis,” Kyle said.
Legislation noted on flyers passed out during the protest were Senate Bill 172, House Bill 281, House Bill 200 and House Bill 26. HB 26 would force local law enforcement to enter into 287(g) agreements and cooperate with ICE, similar to actions taken by Florida and Texas Legislatures.
Many protesters held signs, some reading “OUTRAGED,” “DE-ICE WOO” and “NO HUMAN BEING IS ILLEGAL.” One sign had pictures of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two Minneapolis residents who were killed by ICE agents in January, with text reading “NOT in our town!”
At around 6:15 p.m., Michele Leiby, professor of political science at the College, addressed the crowd with a bullhorn. “We’ve gathered here tonight to say that we value all members of our community — no matter when you moved here, what legal status you have or where you were born,” Leiby said. “To all the immigrants who call Wooster their home, we say ‘we see you, we are glad you’re a part of the Wooster community and we care about you.’” Leiby went on to reference the 32 people who died in ICE custody in 2025. She listed demands, which included that Wooster City Council not enter into a 287(g) agreement, that Wooster Police Department not assist ICE and that a public town hall be hosted to facilitate dialogue.
Brian Hoffman, attorney and founding executive director of the Ohio Center for Strategic Immigration Litigation & Outreach (OCSILiO), spoke after Leiby. He drew on his experience working with immigrants detained by ICE and shared personal stories. One detainee he had met with earlier that evening is blind and has not received provisions for his disability, leading to Hoffman’s initiation of a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security. Hoffman also shared a statement on behalf of a detainee that “there are a lot of Americans who think that you are not being watched and [ICE] is not going to come for you. You are wrong,” the woman wrote.
Protesters were encouraged to sign up to speak during the 7:00 p.m. city council meeting, as well as future city council meetings and public meetings with the Wayne County Commissioner’s office. A few organizers passed out flyers on recent ICE actions and Ohio legislation that could impact Wooster’s cooperation with ICE. 3-D printed ICE whistles with instructions on whistle codes were also available.
At 6:55 p.m., protesters began entering City Hall to observe the 7:00 p.m. meeting. The majority of the meeting was spent with council members discussing and passing ordinances. Eight Wooster community members were allotted two minutes each to speak, taking up the final 15 minutes of the meeting.
One community member and alumnus who spoke, Keifer Dilyard ’25, asked city council to host a public town hall to discuss policies surrounding ICE in the city of Wooster. He also cited worries about “local resources and tax revenues being sequestered by federal law enforcement.”
Another community member who spoke, Abby Fischer, cited her background in counseling as a reason she wanted to address council members. “The people that come into my office are very frightened about what’s happening around the world,” Fischer said. She encouraged council members to talk to immigrants in the community and community members at risk of being racially profiled or otherwise targeted by ICE, as well as collaborate with local ministries and organizations.
The meeting adjourned at around 8:20 p.m. after many council members gave closing remarks thanking the individuals who protested and spoke at the meeting.
