Dear friends and supporters,

Thank you to everyone who showed up on March 10 to speak or show support during Toledo City Council's public comment. The turnout was strong, with about half of Council chambers filled and 17 speakers sharing powerful remarks in support. Only one person spoke in opposition.

It appears there is support from members of Council to move this immigration legislation forward. While that is encouraging, it is still important that we follow up with our requests so Council understand the expectations of the community.

Below is a sample email that you can use when writing to Toledo City Council. Every email submitted in support helps demonstrate the strong community interest in these proposals. You are welcome to personalize the message with your own experiences, concerns, or reasons for supporting the legislation.

We encourage you to email Toledo City Council at your earliest convenience, ideally by March 17 (their next possible meeting date).

Within the rest of this email you will see: 

• A Sample Email template for your convenience

• City Council members’ email addresses

• Summary of Proposed Resolutions and Ordinances

• Attachments of the Proposed Resolutions and Ordinances and NWOPC Recommendations

Thank you again for all of your support and for continuing to show up for our community.

Sample Email

My name is _________________.

I support City Council's proposed resolutions and ordinances:

• Resolution: Urging Constitutional Conduct During Federal Immigration Enforcement

• Ordinance: Establishing Immigration Status and City Resources Policies

• Ordinance: Creating Protections for Access to Education and Preventing Harassment of Educators

• Resolution: Sending Text Amendments Establishing Special Use Permit Requirements for Detention Facilities to the Toledo City Plan Commission for Study & Review; and

These proposals matter to our community because ______.

(Optional) I also urge City Council's support and inclusion of the recommendations offered by the Northwest Ohio Peace Coalition, which are attached as well.

Thank you for taking the time to consider the voices of Toledo residents.

City Council Emails

All emails for an easy copy and paste: 

• macgregor.driscoll@PROTECTED, brittany.jones@PROTECTED, nick.komives@PROTECTED, erin.kramer@PROTECTED, cerssandra.mcpherson@PROTECTED, george.sarantou@PROTECTED, john.hobbs@PROTECTED, adam.martinez@PROTECTED, theresa.gadus@PROTECTED, vanice.williams@PROTECTED,  sam.melden@PROTECTED,  theresa.morris@PROTECTED

Individual Emails

• At-Large: Mac Driscoll, macgregor.driscoll@PROTECTED

• At-Large: Dr. Brittany Jones, brittany.jones@PROTECTED

• At-Large: Nick Komives, nick.komives@PROTECTED

• At-Large: Erin Kramer, erin.kramer@PROTECTED

• At-Large: Cerssandra McPherson, cerssandra.mcpherson@PROTECTED

• At-Large: George Sarantou, george.sarantou@PROTECTED

• District 1: John Hobbs III, john.hobbs@PROTECTED

• District 2: Adam Martinez, adam.martinez@PROTECTED

• District 3: Theresa Gadus, theresa.gadus@PROTECTED

• District 4: Vanice Williams, vanice.williams@PROTECTED

• District 5: Sam Melden, sam.melden@PROTECTED

• District 6: Theresa Morris, theresa.morris@PROTECTED

Summary of Proposed Resolutions and Ordinances

Below you will find short summaries of the resolutions and ordinances for your convenience. We have also included the NWOPC recommendations. Full copies of each proposal are attached if you would like to review them in more detail. 

Resolution: Urging Constitutional Conduct During Federal Immigration Enforcement (TMP-12302)

• Calls on federal immigration agents operating in Toledo to identify themselves clearly and operate transparently.

• Encourages the use of body-worn cameras during interactions with residents.

• Recommends that federal agents avoid face coverings and clearly display agency identification.

• Urges federal agencies to restore full training standards for immigration enforcement officers.

• Calls for federal immigration agents to respect constitutional rights in civil and criminal enforcement actions.

Ordinance: Establishing Immigration Status and City Resources Policies (TMP-12303)

• Ensures city services cannot be denied based on immigration status.

• Prohibits city employees from asking about immigration status unless required by law.

• Restricts the use of city funds, personnel, or equipment for civil immigration enforcement.

• Requires City Council approval before entering any federal immigration enforcement agreements (287(g)).

• Prohibits the use of city property areas for federal immigration operations.

• Bars city employees from sharing immigration status information except when required by law.

Ordinance: Creating Protections for Access to Education and Preventing Harassment of Educators (TMP-12304)

• Establishes new local offenses prohibiting obstruction or intimidation at schools and childcare centers.

• Creates protections preventing individuals from blocking or interfering with access to court facilities.

• Makes it illegal to harass or threaten educators related to their professional duties.

• Prohibits intimidation.

Resolution: Sending Text Amendments Establishing Special Use Permit Requirements for Detention Facilities to the Toledo City Plan Commission for Study & Review (TMP-12305) 

• Directs the Toledo City Plan Commission to review proposed amendments to zoning regulations.

• Defines “detention facilities” within the Toledo Municipal Code.

• Requires special use permits for any new, expanded, or modified detention facility.

• Establishes standards requiring facilities to meet:

  • Safety requirements

  • Health standards

  • Building code compliance

  • Legal compliance

• Requires detention facilities to demonstrate adequate space for detainees.

• Provides oversight of detention operations.

Ordinance: Biometric Data (Not yet shared by Council)

• Creates Toledo Municipal Code Chapter 557 regulating disclosure of biometric data collection by businesses.

• Biometric data includes identifiers such as fingerprints, voiceprints, retina scans, facial recognition, or hand geometry used to identify individuals.

• Businesses must post clear signage at entrances if they collect, use, retain, or share customers’ biometric data.

• Penalties: first violation is a warning; additional violations may result in fines up to $150 per day.

• Exemptions: government agencies and certain financial institutions.

NWOPC Recommendations: 

• Prohibit by LAW Toledo Police from honoring ICE detainer requests, even when accompanied by a judicial warrant, due to ongoing constitutional concerns.

• Prohibit by LAW all ICE, CBP, and Toledo Police from wearing non- medical face coverings, including gaiters, balaclavas, and other tactical face coverings during active duty in the City limits.

• Mayoral Executive Order to City Police is needed, stating any ICE or CBP agent who becomes aggressive, assaults, shoots and/or causes death of any resident of Toledo (immigrant or not) will be arrested by Toledo Police on sight – no exceptions. Any Toledo Officer who fails to comply with this order faces immediate termination.Directs Toledo Police Department to investigate, document, and preserve evidence of ICE or CBP misconduct for potential prosecution. 

• Establish a clear city policy that Toledo Police must enforce criminal law equally and may investigate violations committed by federal immigration agents.

• Add Criminal Charges of Felonious Assault, Stalking and Kidnapping when any immigrant or Toledo resident, including Legal Observers and Immigrant Advocates, experiences ICE assault, aggressiveness and harassment including stalking outside their home residences.

• CITY SERVICES ORDINANCE: (1) at section 115.02(d) correct the term “a warrant” to “Judicial Warrant”; (2) at section 115.04, include in “restricted city properties” as off limits to ICE: City Parks, Toledo Metroparks and Street Closures for Large Cultural Festivals. Add Misdemeanor Crime of “trespass on restricted City properties” if violated.

• OBSTRUCTION and HARASSMENT ORDINANCE:  Revise language to ensure this Ordinance does not prohibit parents or supporters of immigrants from blocking entrances and trying to stop ICE.

• SPECIAL USE PERMITS ORDINANCE: Add to the Zoning Code a requirement  that all Detention  Facilities constructed within Toledo city limits be constructed and operated according to Dept. of Homeland Security's Performance-Based National Detention Standards (2025). Add Zoning Inspectorsbe required to ensure standards are complied with. Add Health Department Inspection requirements too.  Make it a Crime to Deny Access for such purposes.

Thank you again for all of your support and for continuing to show up for our community.