Federal–Local Law Enforcement Conflicts

Lehigh County Executive Josh Siegel and Controller Mark Pinsley moved to evict a DHS Homeland Security Investigations/ICE office from county-owned space, saying the agency has occupied the space for 38 months without a fully executed lease and now owes about $115,000 in back rent. Siegel called ICE’s presence a "threat to public safety and public trust" and said the county will issue a 30-day eviction notice, while Pinsley — who urged officials to "deport ICE" and told Kristi Noem to "pack your masks, tear gas and pepper balls and hit the road" — was criticized by Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R‑Pa., as engaging in "far-left politics" that could hamper investigations into human trafficking and other crimes.

Pennsylvania Republican officials have warned Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and the city sheriff against attempting to arrest or prosecute ICE agents over immigration-enforcement operations, arguing federal supremacy would block such efforts. Krasner says any charges would be brought under state law and therefore beyond a presidential pardon, while DOJ emphasized a "zero-tolerance policy for violence against law enforcement" and legal experts say local attempts to prosecute on-duty federal agents would likely be defeated in court amid frayed trust between local and federal authorities.

Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno has sent a sharply worded letter to Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken after Gerken said ICE and related agencies had 'changed from a legitimate agency to a terrorist group' and voted with the county board against enforcing a federal grant tied to DHS. Moreno’s letter, obtained by Fox News, argues the vote is 'incoherent and perilous,' cites Ohio Revised Code 3.07 on misconduct in office, and questions whether branding federal law-enforcement officers as 'terrorists' is compatible with Gerken’s oath and statutory duty to help fund justice and public-safety functions. He notes Toledo Public Schools are facing a roughly $70 million deficit and the county sheriff is seeking a $6.57 million budget increase, calling the rejection of federal money under those conditions 'particularly confounding' and warning the rhetoric could fuel real-world violence against ICE and Border Patrol personnel amid a reported surge in assaults. Moreno demands written answers within five days on how much of Lucas County’s budget comes from federal funds, whether such language comports with Gerken’s duties, and how residents benefit from turning down DHS assistance, as Democrats nationwide intensify criticism of ICE operations following the Renee Good shooting in Minneapolis. The clash highlights how local resistance to Trump-era immigration enforcement and federal grants is now drawing direct legal and political threats from Republican senators, raising questions about oath violations and the boundaries of rhetoric toward federal officers.