Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz has been accused of exceeding his authority after he urged the Buffalo Convention Center to cancel a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) career expo that was scheduled to begin on Tuesday. The cancellation came after local officials objected to the participation of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the event, citing concerns about potential protests.
Republican Erie County Legislator Lindsay Lorigo stated that Poloncarz "completely surpassed his power and authority" by contacting the convention center's management. Lorigo expressed hope that the decision would be reversed, noting that vendors had already invested time and resources into setting up for the expo. She also raised concerns about the financial implications for these vendors following the last-minute cancellation.
Poloncarz, in a joint statement released by his office, said that while Erie County owns the convention center, it does not manage its bookings or daily operations. He explained that upon learning of the expo on Wednesday, he asked the management corporation to cancel the DHS contract. Poloncarz stated his belief that the convention center, a public community asset, should not be utilized for recruitment efforts that conflict with the county's expressed values as a "welcoming community."
Patrick Kaler, President and CEO of the Buffalo Convention Center, confirmed that management initially requested DHS to hold the event without ICE. "When it became clear that was not possible, we made the decision to cancel as we feel it’s in the best interests of our community at this time," Kaler said.
DHS defended ICE's role in a statement, characterizing the criticism as political and emphasizing that their agents are focused on protecting Americans. The department questioned the absence of outrage regarding crimes committed by individuals in the country illegally and cited a Harvard CAPS/Harris online survey indicating that 80% of Americans support deporting immigrants who are in the country illegally and have committed crimes.
The DHS career expo was described by USAJOBS as the department’s premier large-scale hiring event, open to the public, veterans, military spouses, people with disabilities, and recent graduates. Recruiting was planned across various sectors including cybersecurity, intelligence, law enforcement, finance, human resources, immigration services, and logistics.
According to data released by the New York Labor Department, there were 25,100 unemployed individuals in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga area in July. The jobless rate for the area stood at 4.4%, a slight increase from 4.3% a year prior.