The Lorain County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on June 3, 2025, to approve a resolution stating that Lorain County is not, and has never been, a sanctuary county. The decision followed several days of public concern and media attention after the county was listed as a sanctuary jurisdiction by a federal agency.
Lorain County Sheriff Jack Hall addressed the board during the meeting and explained that the listing came as a surprise. After contacting the U.S. Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Hall was informed that the designation appeared to originate under a prior federal administration and had likely remained in place for several years without the county’s knowledge.
By Sunday, ICE officials confirmed to Hall that Lorain County had been removed from the list. He said the removal would not impact any federal funding, including the $117,000 in annual task force grants the county receives.
Hall emphasized that his office complies with all federal immigration laws. Since taking office, his department has contacted ICE or Border Patrol in 22 cases, mostly related to labor, sex, or drug trafficking investigations. In all cases, federal partners responded promptly, and no violations of federal law by county officials were found.
Commissioner Jeff Riddell acknowledged the rare nature of the situation. “This has probably raised more inquiry from the media and from citizens than I’ve seen in months on any particular topic before Lorain County,” he said. “I hate to establish a precedent, but we do have a resolution… on what we’re not going to do.” Riddell noted that while the board typically focuses on actionable policies, this symbolic resolution was warranted due to public confusion and the need to support the sheriff’s work.
Commissioner Dave Moore noted the widespread misinformation online and the damage it caused. He said the resolution was necessary to make an official statement and support the sheriff’s efforts. “That misinformation then gets on Facebook and everywhere else,” Moore said. “And the next thing you know, it harms our community and who we are.”
Commissioner Marty Gallagher added, “Lorain County, as far as I’m concerned, will not be a sanctuary city if it comes down to my vote.”
The resolution reads in part: “Lorain County is not nor has ever been a sanctuary county in the state of Ohio.”
Following the vote, the commissioners announced plans to begin public discussions later this month about long-term funding for the sheriff’s department, including the possibility of creating a dedicated revenue stream through sales tax.
Sheriff Hall concluded by thanking local and federal officials for their help and emphasized the importance of measured responses. “I’m glad that we did not respond to this through social media,” he said. “We thoroughly investigated this.”
