Lebanon City considers signing ICE collaboration agreement

This article was funded by LebTown donors as part of our Civic Impact Reporting Project.

Lebanon city is considering its options as officials decide whether or not to sign a pact with ICE.

City Mayor Sherry Capello and Police Chief Eric Sims told LebTown that they are weighing the benefits and costs of signing a “Section 287(g)” agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, after the Monday, Feb. 23, meeting of City Council had adjourned.

Local police departments, prosecutors, and prisons signing 287(g) agreements agree to work with ICE, as federal agents, to enforce immigration laws. The Trump Administration’s aggressive campaign to arrest and deport illegal aliens has led to increased use of 287(g) agreements, which have been authorized since the 1990s.

On Feb. 10, the Lebanon County district attorney and sheriff, along with South Lebanon Township and Lebanon County Regional police departments, all signed 287(g) agreements.

Sims and Capello emphasized that their discussions are preliminary and that no decision had been made.

“All options are being considered,” Sims told LebTown. “So the mayor and I are going to meet at some point this week. … You have to take time and make sure you do what’s right for this city, not just the outskirts,” referring to the other county law enforcement agencies who have already agreed to collaborate with ICE.

Sims also pointed out that, even without a 287(g) agreement, city police in the normal course of their duties regularly cooperate with immigration enforcement when properly requested to do so. He said that policy will continue, agreement or not.

Capello said that, among other issues, she would be carefully looking at what additional expenses the city might incur and whether the city’s liability insurance would protect it and its employees against any claims or lawsuits resulting from 287(g) enforcement activities.

The version of the standard 287(g) agreement specific to police, labeled the “Task Force Model,” contains the following provisions:

“The [local department] will be responsible and bear the costs of participating [local department] personnel regarding their property or personal expenses incurred by reason of death, injury, or incidents giving rise to liability.”

and

“Participating [local department] personnel named as personal-capacity defendants in litigation arising from activities carried out under this [agreement] may request representation by the U.S. Department of Justice.” (bold added)

All versions of 287(g) agreements made public by ICE generally say that local agencies will be responsible for most of their 287(g)-related expenses, with no firm commitment from ICE to reimburse them.

Sims and Capello both said that a decision is not imminent.

Council hears annual Coleman Park report

As part of its regular meeting agenda on Monday evening, Coleman Memorial Park Board of Trustees chair Dave Funk and board president Paige Rivera-Fansler updated council on park activities in 2025 and plans going forward.

Last year’s highlights included the first ever pickleball tournament with 20 participating teams, the Latino Festival, attended by over 1,000 people, the 34th season of Music in the Park, and the 18th annual Sweep the Streets basketball tournament.

Funk added that the park’s baseball fields hosted 13 tournaments and 63 countywide youth baseball games. All in all, Funk estimated that roughly 5,200 out-of-county fans visited the park to watch 268 games played on park diamonds by travel teams from eight states and Canada.

Fundraising efforts yielded over $20,000, resulting in the installation of 12 new benches in the park.

Funk and Fansler-Rivera told council that 2025 income and expenses were $145,235 and $123,043. The park took in $42,800 in 2025 rental fees and had a year-end balance of $204,550.

And, Funk said, the much-anticipated grand opening of a new city dog park at Coleman’s will happen in 2026, although he did not give a date.

Melissa Quinones honored

Council and the mayor honored director of administration/assistant to the mayor Melissa Quinones, who is retiring after 24 years of service to the city, the first 16 as community and economic development coordinator.

“Throughout that time, you have been a steady, trusted, and indispensable presence in City Hall,” Capello told her as council looked on.

Reading from prepared remarks, the mayor continued: “Your ability to balance family, leadership, and service with grace and professionalism has been truly admirable. You have consistently taken on additional responsibilities without hesitation, whether navigating complex administrative matters, overseeing personnel and operations, managing sensitive issues with discretion, or simply ensuring that the daily functions of government ran smoothly, you did so with integrity, intelligence, and dedication. You made my job as mayor easier in more ways than I can fully express.”

Other business

• Through Jan. 31, with the 2026 budget year roughly 8% complete, Capello said that receipts were at 4% and expenses at 5% of annual projections. Capello pointed out that receipts customarily lag early in the year since property tax bills aren’t sent out until March.
• Capello told council that she has appointed council member Karen Haitos to the city’s Design Review Board to fill the unexpired term of former council member Joseph Morales, which runs through July 22, 2030. The board approves outdoor art displays, such as murals.
• Council gave initial approval to an ordinance authorizing the codifying of a number of recently-passed ordinances. “Codification,” done every few years, blends new ordinances with already existing ones into single online and print locations, numbering and arranging them in a consistent and logical order. If passed again next month, the codification ordinance will become law.
• Council and the mayor regretfully declined a request by Jonestown Borough to contribute to Jonestown’s celebration of America’s 250th birthday, which will feature fireworks and a parade. They pointed out that the city has been committed to a countywide celebration for over two years, but wished the borough well.

Next Lebanon City Council meetings

City Council’s next pre-council planning meeting will be on Thursday, Mar. 19 at 4:45 p.m. The next regular monthly council meeting will be on Monday, Mar. 23 at 6:30 p.m.

All meetings are open to the public and will be held in the City Hall multi-purpose room, 735 Cumberland St., first floor, Lebanon. Meetings are streamed live on YouTube here.