The Global Switchboard

The Global Switchboard Stewarding a network to promote human rights and social justice in the Pittsburgh region.

Thank you to Councilmembers Warwick, Gross, Strassburger, Mosley, and Charland for sponsoring welcoming legislation.
04/07/2026

Thank you to Councilmembers Warwick, Gross, Strassburger, Mosley, and Charland for sponsoring welcoming legislation.

Pittsburgh City Council passed ordinance 2026-0286 formally prohibiting City officials, agencies, and employees (includi...
04/07/2026

Pittsburgh City Council passed ordinance 2026-0286 formally prohibiting City officials, agencies, and employees (including the City police) from assisting federal immigration agencies in any way unless clearly required to do so by law or a judicial warrant.

Thank you to the many individuals and organizations that supported this effort, and to Councilmembers Barb Warwick, Deb Gross, Erika Strassburger, and Khari Mosley for sponsoring the legislation.

What’s in the bill?

This legislation explicitly prohibits the City and its representatives from:
-Detaining or holding a person for federal immigration agencies without a judicial warrant
-Entering into a 287(g) agreement or any other contact or agreement with federal immigration agencies
-Collecting and sharing immigration status and citizenship information beyond what is required by law
-Giving federal agents access to City facilities, equipment, or information (including databases) without a judicial warrant
-Discriminating against a person on the basis of real or perceived immigration or citizenship status
-Treating someone differently based on the form of acceptable identification they use (such as a non-U.S. passport) when accessing City services
-Otherwise assisting federal immigration agents “in any capacity”

Additionally, the bill:
-Authorizes Pittsburgh police to request an alleged law enforcement officer or immigration officer to present identification when there is probably cause that the person has committed a crime
-Prohibits lessees of City property from requesting, retaining, or searching for information about a person’s citizenship or immigration status (or that of any members of their household)

Importantly, this bill authorizes enforcement through legal action, reporting pathways, and penalties for violations.
-Anyone can report a violation by local law enforcement to the Citizen Police Review Board
-Anyone can report a violation by a City official, employee, or agent to the Office of Municipal Investigations
-Anyone can report a volatile by a contractor or subcontractor to the Office of Procurement

There’s still time to register to speak! Register by 9am on Tuesday, April 7th to give public comment at the general mee...
04/06/2026

There’s still time to register to speak! Register by 9am on Tuesday, April 7th to give public comment at the general meeting.

Register by 9am on Wednesday, April 8th to give public comment at the standing committee meeting.

Do you live in one of Allegheny County’s 130 self-governing municipalities or a surrounding community in Southwestern PA...
04/03/2026

Do you live in one of Allegheny County’s 130 self-governing municipalities or a surrounding community in Southwestern PA?

Our municipal organizing toolkit is designed to assist you in passing non-cooperation legislation in your local community.

It contains model legislation reviewed by the PA Immigration Coalition, a step by step guide to local advocacy, and tips and tools to help you be successful.

Thank you to the numerous organizations and individuals who have helped to build this toolkit, including but not limited to , , and . Thank you also to Indivisible Montgomery County PA, whose Welcoming 62 Campaign laid a foundation for this effort.

Access the toolkit at bit.ly/WelcomingToolkitSWPA

This is a living document and will continue to be updated.

We had so much fun last night! Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate two recent wins for human rights in Alleghen...
04/03/2026

We had so much fun last night! Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate two recent wins for human rights in Allegheny County:

-Anti-retaliation legislation granting stronger protections for tenants of rental housing from landlord retaliation for exercising rights in pursuit of safe and healthy housing, such as reporting concerns to the health department or forming a tenant association
-Non-cooperation legislation formally establishing that County agencies, employees, and officials are not permitted to cooperate with, share information, or otherwise assist federal immigration agencies except where required by state or federal law or when compelled by a judicial warrant

Thank you to the members of the All for All and the Housing Justice Table, and to the extensive network of advocates and organizations who supported these campaigns. These wins would not have been possible without you!

Want to get involved in the Housing Justice Table or All for All?

-Contact [email protected] to learn more and get involved in the Housing Justice Table
-Contact [email protected] to learn more and get involved in the All for All coalition for immigrant rights and inclusion

Also be sure to follow the many amazing groups advocating for human rights in Allegheny County and beyond!

City Council advanced ordinance 0286 - the most substantive part of a package being considered to limit the City’s coope...
04/02/2026

City Council advanced ordinance 0286 - the most substantive part of a package being considered to limit the City’s cooperation with ICE. Council also advanced a resolution that would require the City to develop a report on its use of surveillance technology. Councilmember Bob Charland, whose district is home to ICE’s Pittsburgh detention facility, joined Councilmembers Warwick, Gross, and Strassberger as a sponsor of bill 0286.

These two measures will be up for a final vote at next week’s regular Council meeting on Tuesday. April 7th at 10am.

The other half of the package - two ordinances focused on regulating City-owned spaces - was held for further discussion and will be on the agenda again at next week’s Standing Committee meeting on Wed. April 8th.

Visit the link in our bio to register to speak or contact your Councilperson directly.

Allegheny County passed non-cooperation legislation. Now it’s time for the City of Pittsburgh to follow suit without del...
03/31/2026

Allegheny County passed non-cooperation legislation. Now it’s time for the City of Pittsburgh to follow suit without delay!

Join our new City-level sign-on letter to show City Council that Pittsburgh supports limiting cooperation with 🧊

Sign on by visiting bit.ly/WelcomingCityPGH or by visiting the link in our bio.

To learn more about what’s in the package, scroll for a summary of key provisions. You can look up the full text of the included legislation and resolution by visiting pittsburgh.legistar.com

No City Collaboration with ICE! Legislative updateLast week, Pittsburgh City Councilmembers Warwick, Gross, and Strassbe...
03/31/2026

No City Collaboration with ICE!
Legislative update

Last week, Pittsburgh City Councilmembers Warwick, Gross, and Strassberger introduced a legislative package focused on limiting cooperation between the City and federal immigration agencies, along with a resolution focused on surveillance technology:

-2026-0286 Non-intervention (Ordinance)
-2026-0287 Request for Report on Surveillance Technology (Resolution)
-2026-0288 Prohibiting Immigration Enforcement in City-Owned or Operated Spaces (Ordinance)
-2026-0289 Protecting Community Spaces (Ordinance)

The package is on the agenda for the City Council Standing Committee Meeting scheduled for Wed. April 1st at 10am in City Council Chambers (City-County Building, 5th Floor, 414 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219)

Public comment can be given in person or online. Speaker registration closes 1 hour before the scheduled meeting. Unregistered speakers may speak in person after registered speakers. Visit the link in our bio or visit pittsburghpa.gov to regsiter.

The 3rd Annual Pittsburgh Housing Justice Summit will take place on Saturday, March 28th, from 9AM-4PM at the Frick Fine...
03/25/2026

The 3rd Annual Pittsburgh Housing Justice Summit will take place on Saturday, March 28th, from 9AM-4PM at the Frick Fine Arts Building on Pitt’s campus.

This event brings together renters, students, community housing advocates, and policymakers to learn about non-market housing alternatives, including public and social housing, to strategize how we can organize to advance tenants’ rights, and more.

Register at: bit.ly/406eW40

The Global Switchboard and the All for All coalition for immigrant rights are proud to support welcoming legislation at ...
03/24/2026

The Global Switchboard and the All for All coalition for immigrant rights are proud to support welcoming legislation at the City level.

The welcoming legislative package was introduced today and heads to standing committee next week. Public comment is permitted at standing committee meetings, as well as at regular meetings of Council.

Thank you to Councilmembers Gross, Warwick, and Strassberger for sponsoring the legislation.

district7

The Global Switchboard and the All for All coalition for immigrant rights are proud to support welcoming legislation at ...
03/24/2026

The Global Switchboard and the All for All coalition for immigrant rights are proud to support welcoming legislation at the City level.

The welcoming legislative package was introduced today and heads to standing committee next week. Public comment is permitted at standing committee meetings, as well as at regular meetings of Council.

Thank you to Councilmembers Gross, Warwick, and Strassberger for sponsoring the legislation.

district7

We did it! Allegheny County has passed welcoming legislation restricting County agencies, officials, and employees from ...
03/11/2026

We did it! Allegheny County has passed welcoming legislation restricting County agencies, officials, and employees from sharing information or otherwise assisting ICE, except where required by State or Federal law (as in the case of a judicial warrant). This is a vital step forward to ensuring equal access to County services and equal protection under the law for all County residents, without discrimination.

Thank you to our partners and to the over 150 groups and organizations who lent their voices, energy, time, resources, and platforms to raise awareness and support for this legislation.

Thank you also to the hundreds of residents who came out to County Council meetings, met with their Council reps, and wrote in over the last six weeks to demand that this bill be passed without delay, and to the THOUSANDS of residents from every corner and walk of life in this County who signed onto a sign-on letter, which was presented to County Council.

Thank you also to the eleven members of County Council who voted “YES,” and to the County Executive for supporting this bill.

There is still more work to be done to ensure Allegheny County is a safe, welcoming, and inclusive place for immigrants. More resources and opportunities are coming soon to advocate for the County’s 130 self-governing municipalities to adopt welcoming policies.

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