Rochester City Council Strengthens Sanctuary City Policy Amid Trump Crackdown

Rochester lawmakers voted unanimously Tuesday to codify the city’s status as a sanctuary city, expanding legal protections for immigrant and LGBTQ+ residents while adding safeguards for reproductive rights.

The new legislation amends the municipal code to ensure that residents are protected regardless of race, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity or country of origin, city officials said. It also incorporates the New York State Equal Rights Amendment into local law, guaranteeing protections for people who are or may become pregnant and their rights regarding reproductive and bodily autonomy.

Supporters said the measure reaffirms Rochester’s long history of advocacy and inclusion at a time when vulnerable communities face heightened threats nationwide.

“Tonight’s vote strengthens our commitment to protecting every Rochesterian,” City Council said in a statement.

The Council’s Progressive Caucus, made up of members Mary Lupien, Stanley Martin, and Kim Smith, said they introduced the ordinance in June in response to concerns from immigrant, LGBTQ+, and reproductive justice advocates. They noted that while Rochester has identified as a sanctuary city since 1986 and reaffirmed that status in 2017, loopholes allowed Rochester police to collaborate with federal immigration officials without consequence.

“This updated ordinance closes those gaps,” the caucus said in a joint statement. “It makes it unlawful for RPD to engage in immigration enforcement, establishes a disciplinary process for employees who violate sanctuary laws, bars the use of city resources for federal immigration crackdowns, and expands protections to LGBTQIA+ individuals and reproductive autonomy.”

The caucus also emphasized that the ordinance empowers Rochester to dedicate resources toward supporting immigrant and LGBTQ+ residents and codifies sanctuary protections into municipal law for the first time. They credited local organizations including the New York Immigration Coalition, Rochester Rapid Response Network, and the New York Civil Liberties Union for building momentum behind the legislation.

The move comes as President Donald Trump’s administration intensifies efforts to penalize sanctuary jurisdictions. In January, Trump signed Executive Order 14159, directing federal agencies to identify and cut funding to cities and states that limit cooperation with immigration enforcement. Although courts have blocked parts of that order, including attempts to withhold federal money from 34 cities and counties, the administration has continued to pursue mass deportation operations and expand Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s capacity.

Federal judges have largely sided with local governments, ruling that the federal government cannot coerce cities into enforcing immigration law. Still, the administration has pressed forward with aggressive deportation policies, including expedited removal and expanded detention programs, often targeting sanctuary areas.

Republicans quickly criticized Rochester’s action. Monroe County Republican Party Chairman Patrick Reilly called the strengthened policy “outrageous,” arguing it puts residents at risk.

“These new policies forbid city employees from asking about immigration status, and even threaten to punish Rochester police officers who cooperate with federal immigration authorities,” Reilly said in a statement. “By siding with illegal immigrants over law-abiding families, City Council has made Rochester even less safe and invited costly lawsuits that will fall on the backs of taxpayers.”

For Rochester, codifying sanctuary status provides both a symbolic and legal buffer against federal efforts to curtail local autonomy, city officials said. The city first declared itself a sanctuary in 1986, joining municipalities across the country that restrict local cooperation with ICE. Tuesday’s action places those protections more firmly into law and broadens their scope.

The measure passed without opposition.