Syracuse Common Councilors want to make sure technology meant to curb dangerous driving doesn’t inadvertently tip off ICE agents about immigrants living in the city.
Lawmakers have been looking at a piece of proposed legislation that deals with the company that operates the citywide deployment of automated speed and red light enforcement cameras. Specifically, any liability to the city if the company’s equipment was damaged. But it brought up a larger question. Who could have access to the data that is collected from those cameras in a fraught political era?
Councilor Jimmy Monto said, for one thing, he wouldn’t want information about individuals' whereabouts passed on to federal immigration officials.
“I just think we have to be cognizant of the fact that we want the police department to have every tool that they need,” said Monto. “However, we have a city full of new Americans, immigrants. 400 of them came here just in December. They're scared. I mean, if you go out and speak with them, they are scared. We need to make sure that we're protecting everybody.”
Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens told lawmakers the city would not knowingly pass along information that could get someone detained by ICE. But she added that there are other concerns about Washington pushing unwanted federal policies on city government. She said the city’s attorneys are warning the Walsh administration about potential federal policies unknowingly coming into the city by way of agreements for federal grants or aid.
“When we’re entering into a contract, corporation counsel is looking at the actual wording in there, because some are starting to see wording that is really speaking to executive orders, particularly for funding,” said Owens. “Not particularly companies, but funding coming in that really are saying ‘if you take this money or you enter into this contract, check the fine print.’”
Lawmakers agreed to have a future meeting to discuss a global policy that determines who can get access to data collected from traffic cameras.
