Joint Statement From Buncombe & Asheville
Joint Statement from Mayor Esther Manheimer, Board of Commissioners Chair Amanda Edwards, and Members of Asheville City Council and the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners.
Our community’s strength comes from our diversity, and we are unwavering in our commitment to ensuring Asheville and Buncombe County remain safe and welcoming places where everyone can grow and thrive. All our residents deserve to feel secure while going about their daily lives.
Expected US Customs and Border Protection operations are causing unnecessary fear in our community. We’ve seen what happened in other cities: people without criminal records detained, violent confrontations erupting. We don’t want that here.
Our community is still recovering from Hurricane Helene. We do not need additional stress and fear.
We stand with all residents who simply want to go about their lives and contribute to our community. We are committed to following the law and protecting the rights and dignity of everyone who calls Asheville and Buncombe County home.
Know your rights. Organizations including Pisgah Legal Services stand ready to assist individuals seeking legal guidance on immigration matters.
If you need police, call 911. The Asheville Police Department and Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office do not participate in ICE or CBP operations and are not involved in federal immigration enforcement activities.
We know many people want to speak out and make their voices heard, that is your right. We ask that, as a community, we do so peacefully.
In closing, we call on our community to stand together. No matter our political beliefs, we are united in support of hard-working and law-abiding families who call this place home.
