Cincinnati declared itself a sanctuary city in 2017 under Executive Order 2017-001, limiting local police cooperation with federal immigration detainers and inquiries except for serious criminal warrants.
Mayor John Cranley signed Executive Order 2017-001 in January 2017 declaring Cincinnati a sanctuary city. The order directs city departments and Cincinnati Police not to inquire about immigration status during routine encounters and not to honor ICE detainer requests absent a judicial warrant. The Collaborative Agreement reform framework reinforces community-trust policing. Ohio has resisted statewide preemption efforts, though several bills have been introduced. Cincinnati Public Schools also adopted welcoming policies. The city continues to coordinate with federal partners on serious criminal investigations while protecting cooperative community relationships with immigrant residents.
City employees who improperly share status information or honor warrantless ICE detainers risk discipline; the city itself faces no Ohio penalty under current law.
See how Cincinnati's sanctuary policy preemption rules stack up against other locations.
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