Jenkintown Borough released today a statement regarding the handling of requests from federal immigration authorities.

According to the statement, the borough “will only cooperate with federal immigration authorities when required by a valid judicial order or as otherwise required by law”.

“Should ICE request assistance, the request will be reviewed by the Chief of Police and the Mayor, and the Borough will act only in accordance with legal requirements”, the statement said. “These practices help build trust and ensure that immigrants and non-immigrants alike feel safe calling the police, reporting crimes, and seeking help when needed. No one should fear interacting with local law enforcement.”

In September 2025, Jenkintown Borough Council approved a policy outlining the Jenkintown Police Department’s stance on illegal immigration. The approved order states that local police cannot enforce immigration laws or call ICE on victims, witnesses, juveniles or if someone is stopped for a traffic violation. It also instructs police to notify ICE under certain conditions, including if a person is arrested for a crime and is “believed to be in violation of immigration laws,” or if the police chief directs an officer to notify ICE.

In December 2025, Jenkintown officials released a statement as a response to pushback from immigrant rights advocates and community members regarding September’s policy.

The full statement from today is below:

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