No ICE - Govt Resources
How to advocate for action
Communities around the US are standing up to ICE expansion.
Scroll down for ways to see possible actions at each level of government:
City Council — County govt — State govt — US Congress
City Council
Permits —
Kansas City
Jan 2026 - In Kansas City, Missouri, the city council voted 12-1 in January to pass an ordinance placing a moratorium on all permits for nonmunicipal detention centers for 5 years. Like other local efforts, it’s not clear that the ordinance would have ultimately held up in court, but it won’t have to. Platform Ventures, the company that was selling the property, announced on Thursday that it would not be going forward with the sale, following a public pressure campaign. News article, another news article.
City council meeting where the ordinance was passed. Ordinance - file # 260074.
Durant, OK
Jan 2026 - Durant City Council, in a meeting attended last week by ICE protesters, passed an ordinance that requires a conditional use permit for anyone wanting to operate a detention center in the city. The ordinance will require someone wanting to open a detention center to go through the planning and zoning commission. There would be a public hearing where the council can hear the concerns of the public and the property owners in the area of the proposed facility. News article
City council meeting where the ordinance was passed. Ordinance text.
Zoning —
Greensboro, NC
Feb 2026 - The Greensboro City Council amended its land development ordinance to better regulate detention facilities. The change follows recently released federal documents that list Greensboro as a potential location for an ICE detention center. City Attorney Lora Cubbage says the amendment requires three levels of scrutiny for how someone uses a local building. News article
South Fulton, GA
The South Fulton City Council voted Tuesday (2-24) night to adopt a resolution to prevent ICE from establishing detention centers within the city. “This resolution says that we will put in our zoning code that we don’t want the allowable use of ICE detainee centers in our city,” said Helen Willis, who represents District 3. News article, another news article.
City council meeting where the resolution was passed. Resolution text.
Los Angeles, CA
The L.A. City Council has taken a step toward reactivating a zoning code that could prohibit the construction and operation of private detention centers for unaccompanied children. The ordinance is meant to prevent private facilities from contracting with federal law enforcement agencies like ICE, according to Councilmember Tim McOsker, who introduced the motion last Wednesday. News article.
Ordinance text.
Plan of Action —
El Paso, TX
During its meeting Tuesday, Feb. 3, the El Paso City Council unanimously approved a plan of action to have the city manager and city attorney look into ways prevent the installation of any new ICE detention centers within the city in collaboration with El Paso County. News article.
Agenda item, plan of action text.
The City Council also unanimously approved an amendment to include language that would require city staff to return in 60 days with information on how to prevent federal law enforcement from entering city facilities without a warrant, establish a moratorium on ICE facilities, and conduct an investigation into current cooperation between the city and immigration authorities. News article.
Cannot find amendment info from agenda or city website
Talking to property owners —
San Antonio, TX
City officials priority is stopping the purchase by urging the property owner not to sell it to the government for this purpose. News article.
Letters & Statements —
Merrimack, NH
The Merrimack town council sent a letter to federal and state officials voicing opposition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement establishing a processing facility in the town. News article.
Letter text.
Social Circle, GA
City and county representatives reached out to Governor Kemp and Lieutenant Governor Jones for help in contacting the White House and the Department of Homeland Security, respectively. Taylor said he and the Mayor met with representatives of Senator Warnock’s office earlier Tuesday afternoon and had been in touch with Congressman Mike Collins. News article, another news article.
City council original statement, city council updated statement
County level government
Permits —
Leavenworth County, KS
Mar 2025 - Leavenworth passes a resolution requiring a special-use permit for a detention center. The Kansas Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the City of Leavenworth, affirming that CoreCivic must obtain a special-use permit before reopening a former detention center as an immigration facility. News article.
Resolution text.
Howard County, MD
Howard County Executive Calvin Ball today signed into law a bill that prohibits the issuance of County permits for privately-owned detention centers. The bill amends the Howard County Building Code to provide that only a government agency is eligible to make application, obtain, or hold a permit for the I-3 Use group; to provide that the building official may suspend or revoke a permit other than one issued to a government agency that has not passed final inspection; generally relating to the regulation of building and construction in Howard County. News article.
Bill text
Used to take action: Howard County Executive Ball today announced that the County director of the Department of Inspections, Licenses, and Permits (DILP) revoked the building permit for a privately-owned detention facility located in Elkridge. The permit revocation was based on state law which requires private immigration detention centers to meet certain notice and public hearing requirements. News article.
Advocating upward —
Hanover County, VA
The US government is generally exempt from local zoning regulations, but Hanover officials are taking the following actions in response to ICE’s stated interest: Staff and county attorneys will draft a letter to DHS outlining the county's identified land-use concerns. Local officials plan to speak with state and congressional representatives so DHS may find “a more suitable location.” The county will evaluate its legal options. News article.
State level government
Pass a law —
New Jersey
In 2021, New Jersey passed a law that prevents state, local and private entities from entering into or renewing contracts for immigration detention. News article.
Bill text.
South Fulton, GA
Georgia state Senator Jaha Howard and South Fulton Councilwoman Helen Zenobia Willis announced new legislative efforts Sunday aimed at preventing large-scale Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities from opening in metro Atlanta and elsewhere in Georgia. Howard said he plans to introduce legislation that would prohibit the use of state-controlled funds, tax incentives, subsidies or public-private partnership mechanisms to support the acquisition, construction, renovation, expansion or operation of ICE detention facilities. News article
File a lawsuit —
Washington County, MD
Maryland’s attorney general filed a federal lawsuit to block the construction of a large immigration detention center in Washington County, escalating the state’s legal battle against a Trump administration project that critics say was deliberately hidden from public view. News article, another news article.
Federal government
Propose a bill —
New Hampshire
Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) are introducing a new bill that would require the DHS to solicit public comments and receive written approval from state and local officials before constructing, acquiring or operating any new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing facility or detention center. The new bicameral Respect for Local Communities Act would also require the Secretary of Homeland Security to notify relevant Congressional committees prior to initiating such activities. U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) are original co-sponsors of the legislation. News article.
Bill text
Letter —
Roxbury, NJ
Congressmembers Rob Menendez (NJ-08), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and LaMonica McIver (NJ-10) led New Jersey House and Senate Democrats in calling on DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to immediately abandon any plans to expand immigration detention in New Jersey.
Letter text.
They are also sponsoring an initiative. “Our initiative is about giving New Jerseyans a voice before Trump turns a warehouse in Roxbury into a mass detention site for up to 1,500 people,” said Congressman Pallone. News article, another news article.
Initiative website polling NJ residents.