Dayton mayor hints at ICE action — but no policy yet
Photo via Michael Oliss
Michael Oliss | News Editor
Dayton’s response to the rising Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) controversy is not a concrete policy, but an ongoing discussion.
Flyer News reached out to Dayton Mayor Shenise Turner-Sloss in January, asking for clarification on the city’s stance on federal ICE enforcement. Her response, which came last week, led to more questions than answers—announcements of possible future legislation and a “tiger-team.”
“There has been a tiger-team formed to review best practices, including potential legislation that will be drafted and considered for Commission approval,” the email read. “We are also in conversation with a number of municipalities, organizations, and community stakeholders across the state of Ohio and outside.”
The mayor’s email included a link to a March 11 announcement from the Dayton City Commission, which Turner-Sloss has been a member of since 2022. She was elected mayor of Dayton last year and took office in January. Her messaging in times of crisis emphasizes accountability, transparency, and patience.
The city’s message references “uncertainty and heightened concern” but does not specify where those concerns stem from.
Neither Mayor Turner-Sloss’s email to Flyer News nor last month’s announcement took a position on recent ICE enforcement. They outlined no specific policies, offered no guidance on enforcement limits—such as how the city would respond if a Dayton resident were harmed or killed by ICE, as has occurred in Minneapolis—and provided no timeline for when the “tiger-team” would be formally announced.
Flyer News has not yet received a response from Mayor Turner-Sloss or her office regarding the timeline and formal responsibilities of the tiger-team.
Some cities across Ohio, such as Columbus and Cincinnati, have already adopted policies defining their relationship with federal immigration enforcement. Dayton officials have not yet proposed any measures outside of the announcement of the “tiger-team” in Turner-Sloss’s email to Flyer News.
Dayton Mayor Turner-Sloss faces a uniquely difficult position. While cities lack the authority to block ICE, a federal agency, they can limit their level of cooperation. At the same time, Ohio Republicans are advancing legislation that would penalize municipalities that do not assist federal immigration enforcement. House Bill 26, sponsored primarily by Republicans, would require cities to cooperate with ICE or lose funding.
Dayton faces mounting pressure to formally define its position on cooperation with ICE, as a narrow window for action begins to close. If city leaders continue to delay, the decision could ultimately shift to the Republican-controlled Ohio House.