Buffalo Convention Center Cancels DHS Career Expo Amid ICE Concerns

In Buffalo, the recent cancellation of a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) career expo has sparked controversy. Democratic Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz faces criticism for allegedly exceeding his authority. The Buffalo Convention Center halted the two-day event due to objections over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) involvement and potential protests.

Republican Erie County Legislator Lindsay Lorigo expressed disapproval in an interview with Fox News Digital. She contended that Poloncarz’s actions were inappropriate and hoped for a reversal of the decision. Lorigo emphasized the negative impact on vendors, who had put considerable time and resources into preparations.

The county executive has completely surpassed his power and authority. This was totally inappropriate for him to call on the management of the convention center to cancel this event.

Lorigo explained the concerns vendors face with the sudden cancellation, citing potential financial strains from high expenses, and the uncertainty surrounding bill payments.

DHS defended ICE in a strong statement shared with Fox News Digital, characterizing criticism as political rather than substantial. A DHS spokesperson highlighted:

Our agents are focused on protecting the American people—not performing acts of outrage. Where is the outrage for Angel families who lost a loved one to illegal alien crime?

A May Harvard CAPS/Harris online survey reported that 80% of participants supported deporting immigrants living illegally in the U.S. who committed crimes. DHS viewed ICE law enforcement as heroes to most Americans. The exposé was described by USAJOBS as its principal large-scale hiring event, available to the public including veterans, military spouses, people with disabilities, and recent graduates.

The Buffalo-Cheektowaga area reported an unemployment rate of 4.4% in July. This was marginally up from 4.3% the previous year, as indicated by New York Labor Department data.

The expo intended to recruit across various sectors such as cybersecurity, intelligence, law enforcement, finance, human resources, immigration services, logistics, and transportation security. DHS stressed that local vendors could incur financial burdens from the abrupt cancellation.

Poloncarz’s office shared a joint statement clarifying Erie County’s ownership of the convention center but not its operational management. Poloncarz explained his concern Aligning community values with recruitment activities led him to urge the cancellation.

Convention center President and CEO Patrick Kaler noted that they originally requested DHS to proceed without ICE. Upon realizing ICE’s exclusion wasn’t feasible, they opted to cancel in the community’s best interest.

Fox News Digital reached out to Poloncarz for a reaction, but no immediate response was reported. Associate Editor CJ Womack reviews political and cultural topics for Fox News Digital, with a background in journalism from Long Beach State University.