FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 30, 2026
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FACT CHECK: What Amy Acton actually said about ICE and immigration enforcement
COLUMBUS, OH– Today, TiffinOhio.net published a fact check correcting the misrepresentation of Dr. Acton’s position on federal immigration enforcement.
READ: What Amy Acton actually said about ICE and immigration enforcement
- The words Acton actually used at a Tuesday press conference were considerably broader. Although reporters were asking her about ICE and federal immigration enforcement, Acton never said “ICE,” never used the word “immigration” and did not announce a new immigration enforcement policy.
- Instead, she said Ohio should continue working with federal law enforcement while holding officers operating in the state to professional standards.
- “We need to hold anyone who comes to our state to the same standards of professionalism that we expect of our public safety officers, and I will always fight for that,” Acton said.
- Addressing previous remarks she had made about federal enforcement operations in Minnesota, Acton continued: “I was talking about Minneapolis in a moment where, you know, I was saying that we need to hold anyone who comes to our state to the same standards of professionalism that we expect of our public safety officers, and I will always fight for that. People of Ohio deserve to feel safe, and they deserve the professionalism and the training.”
- When the questioning turned to cooperation with federal authorities, Acton said: “We always work with the federal law enforcement, and we will do so — whatever it takes to keep Ohioans safe.”
- She did not specifically endorse ICE raids, discuss ICE detainers, promise state resources for deportation operations or describe what particular forms of cooperation between Ohio agencies and ICE she would support as governor.
- Acton’s position in January therefore already combined two ideas: that immigration laws should be enforced and that the government must carry out that enforcement lawfully.
- Those comments are consistent with what Acton said in her January Ideastream interview and with her remarks Tuesday: enforce the law, pursue dangerous criminals, cooperate with law enforcement agencies and demand lawful and professional conduct from officers.
- What changed this week was not Acton’s stated position. It was the headline.
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