Arresting or denying someone services based on their immigration status will be against the law in Columbus.
The Columbus City Council voted Monday to solidify in the city code an executive order Mayor Andrew J. Ginther issued earlier this year to establish the policies.
It does not declare Columbus a “sanctuary city.” Officials have said they don’t want to make the city a target for President Donald Trump, who has threatened federal funding for cities that adopt the label.
But the policies came as a direct response to Trump’s executive orders to curtail the number of refugees coming into the United States and prevent people from six Muslim-majority countries from obtaining new visas.
Federal courts have temporarily blocked Trump’s order.
“The permanence of city code transcends every mayor,” council President Zach Klein said. “We decided not to focus on labels and focus more on the substance.”
Columbus investigated whether it wanted to become a sanctuary city, but Klein said after discussions with immigrant groups it elected not to adopt it.
