An Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrest outside a South Side gas station has Pittsburgh’s top cop asking more questions. Police Chief Jason Lando has ordered an administrative review after ICE agents took a person into custody Thursday right across the street from the city’s Zone 3 station. Officers saw agents struggling with the individual but did not step in, a decision that is now under the microscope as the city navigates the uneasy overlap between federal immigration enforcement and neighborhood policing.
Chief orders administrative review
In a statement to WPXI, Lando said, “There was a struggle,” confirming that his officers “did not intervene” as ICE agents arrested outside the gas station. He told Channel 11 he has directed the Zone 3 commander to conduct an administrative review so the bureau has a full, documented account of what happened. Lando also said he has already spoken with an ICE supervisor about the encounter as the internal review gets underway.
City leaders and businesses weigh in
City officials have recently flagged concerns about ICE operations in Pittsburgh, including reports of vehicles left abandoned after enforcement actions that created safety hazards. Mayor Corey O’Connor and Lando have said the city will not assist ICE in carrying out immigration enforcement, and the chief told WTAE he has been in contact with Homeland Security and Homeland Security Investigations supervisors about how those operations are run. Local reporting has also described a broader uptick in enforcement activity last year that rattled immigrant-owned businesses and fueled anxiety in the community, according to Technical.ly.
Policy context
The city says the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police follows an “Unbiased Policing” directive, Chief’s Order 11-3, which instructs officers not to cooperate with ICE unless a court order requires it, according to the City of Pittsburgh. Lando reiterated in remarks to WPXI that municipal officers “do not check immigration status on calls for service” and that police will not participate in immigration roundups. At the same time, he noted, officers are required to respond if another agency makes an emergency request for help. That built-in tension is part of what sparked the Zone 3 review, he said, to ensure officers have clear guidance and residents feel confident that calling 911 will not turn a routine response into an immigration case.
What happens next
The Zone 3 commander’s administrative review will look for any gaps in policy or training that might need to be addressed. The bureau has said it plans to release its findings once the process is complete. For now, Lando is stressing a twin mission for his department: enforce local and state law while making sure people feel safe contacting police without worrying that their immigration status will suddenly be on the table. City officials say they will keep pressing federal agencies for clearer communication after ICE operations to avoid confusion on the streets and prevent potential safety issues, as reported by WTAE.
