Oppose House Bills 26, 200, 281, and 554 - Protect Public Safety and Healthcare Access

I am writing to urge you to oppose the four-bill package introduced by Rep. Josh Williams that would mandate local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. House Bills 26, 200, 281, and 554 pose serious threats to public safety, healthcare access, and community trust in Ohio. House Bill 281, which would require hospitals and mental health centers to grant federal immigration agents access for enforcement operations, creates dangerous public health consequences. The Ohio Hospital Association has warned this measure will deter undocumented residents from seeking emergency medical care. When people avoid hospitals out of fear, communicable diseases go untreated, maternal and infant mortality increases, and emergency conditions worsen. This affects all Ohioans, not just undocumented residents. House Bill 26 removes local discretion from law enforcement agencies, forcing them to comply with ICE detainer requests regardless of other public safety priorities. This mandate undermines the judgment of local police chiefs and sheriffs who understand their communities' needs. When immigrant communities fear local police will turn them over to federal agents, they stop reporting crimes, cooperating as witnesses, and seeking help during emergencies. This makes everyone less safe. House Bill 200 would criminalize unauthorized presence as a fifth-degree felony, granting local police authority to arrest individuals solely based on immigration status. This diverts limited law enforcement resources away from investigating violent crimes, drug trafficking, and property offenses. It also invites racial profiling and constitutional violations. House Bill 554 escalates obstruction of justice charges to felony level for actions like blocking doorways during immigration arrests, criminalizing peaceful resistance and chilling First Amendment rights. These bills sacrifice public safety and healthcare access to pursue federal immigration enforcement, which has always been a federal responsibility. I urge you to oppose House Bills 26, 200, 281, and 554, and instead support the Democratic Safeguard Package that protects sensitive locations like schools, places of worship, and playgrounds from immigration enforcement operations.