Every Kentuckian deserves to feel safe in their community — but a new wave of proposed state legislation threatens that basic right. Several bills introduced in the Kentucky General Assembly would force local law enforcement to act as extensions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), diverting critical resources away from public safety priorities and deepening fear among immigrant communities.

These bills, including Senate Bill 86 and House Bills 47, 76, 62, and 361, would require Kentucky police and sheriffs to enforce federal immigration law — even though most officers have no training in that area. Governor Andy Beshear has warned these mandates could make us less safe by pulling local officers away from responding to domestic violence, drug crises, and community emergencies.

The legislation would also eliminate sanctuary policies, empower officers to check immigration status during routine interactions, and punish cities that choose not to cooperate — threatening to strip them of vital road funding. One bill even proposes banning immigrants from holding local elected office in Kentucky.

Just days ago in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a 37‑year‑old mother and community member, Renee Nicole Good, was shot and killed by an ICE agent during a federal immigration operation. Video and multiple eyewitness accounts raise serious questions about the use of force: authorities shot Good multiple times while she was in her vehicle, and local leaders sharply dispute the federal narrative that lethal force was justified. Her death, one of many fatal shootings involving ICE agents in recent years, has sparked major protests and intense scrutiny over ICE’s practices and lack of accountability. 

Given this context, forcing local Kentucky police — many of whom are already stretched thin — to partner with ICE makes communities less safe, not safer. Officers untrained in federal immigration law should not be asked to enforce policies tied to violent outcomes in other states. Mandating cooperation risks bringing the same aggressive federal tactics into our neighborhoods.

We, the undersigned, call on the Kentucky General Assembly to reject these harmful and unnecessary bills. We urge lawmakers to prioritize real community needs over political posturing, and to keep local policing focused on local safety — not federal immigration enforcement.

Sign this petition to demand your representatives vote NO on forced ICE cooperation and stand up for a Kentucky where every resident — regardless of background — can live without fear.