Buffalo Convention Center Cancels DHS Career Expo Amid Controversy
The recent cancellation of a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) career expo at the Buffalo Convention Center sparked tensions between local officials. Republican Erie County Legislator Lindsay Lorigo criticized Democratic Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, accusing him of overstepping his authority.
Earlier, the center called off the two-day event originally scheduled to begin on Tuesday due to local objection over the participation of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Concerns about potential protests led to the decision. Lorigo expressed discontent, stating, “The county executive has completely surpassed his power and authority. This was totally inappropriate for him to urge the management of the convention center to cancel this event.”
Lorigo noted that discussions regarding the event might continue, hoping for a possible reversal of the cancellation. She highlighted the investment of time and effort by vendors who had prepared for the expo.
“I have had discussions with vendors already set up there,” Lorigo said. “They’re worried about potentially closing down their businesses due to the financial strain from this sudden cancellation, wondering who’s responsible for the costs incurred.”
The DHS defended ICE, rejecting criticism as politically motivated. In a statement, a DHS spokesperson responded, “Our agents are focused on protecting the American people. To most Americans, our brave ICE law enforcement are heroes.”
An online survey conducted by Harvard CAPS/Harris in May showed 80% of respondents supported deporting immigrants in the country illegally if they committed crimes.
The DHS career expo was described by USAJOBS as a “large-scale hiring event,” targeting various recruitment fields such as cybersecurity, intelligence, law enforcement, finance, and human resources.
Erie County Executive Poloncarz’s office released a joint statement on Thursday, indicating that while the county owns the convention center, it does not manage its daily operations. Poloncarz stated, “The Buffalo Convention Center is a publicly owned community asset, and I do not believe it should support recruitment efforts inconsistent with our welcoming community values.”
Convention center President and CEO Patrick Kaler remarked that management initially requested DHS to conduct the event without ICE. When this wasn’t feasible, they opted to cancel it, believing it to be in the community’s best interest.
Fox News Digital reached out to Poloncarz for comment but did not receive an immediate response.