Public Source is proud to be a watchdog for how local governments are functioning. As a nonpartisan newsroom offering fully fact-checked stories, we are invested in finding out what’s happening in our region — and letting you know why it matters. We know that without investigative reporting like ours, local authorities may go unobserved, with potentially far-reaching consequences.
Our recent reporting on local municipalities’ agreements with ICE is a powerful example of why this type of coverage is crucial. Recently, some police departments have agreed to cooperate with ICE under a “task force model” that effectively deputizes local police officers to operate as immigration agents, including questioning people about their citizenship and immigration status. When we learned of these agreements being signed in Munhall, Springdale and Stowe Township, we wanted to know more about what they meant and how they’d be put into practice.
What we found was surprising: In all three municipalities, senior officials said they were unaware of the agreements, raising questions about the legal processes underlying them. After our inquiries, Stowe and Munhall terminated their short-lived agreements with ICE.
