A Buffalo-area Republican accused Democratic Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz of overstepping his authority after the Buffalo Convention Center canceled a two-day\u00a0Department of Homeland Security\u00a0career expo set to begin Tuesday because officials objected to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement\u2019s participation and warned of possible protests.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 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,\u201d Republican Erie County Legislator Lindsay Lorigo said in an interview with Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n
Lorigo said she understood discussions about the event were continuing and hoped the center would\u00a0reverse its decision. She said vendors had invested time and local labor into the expo\u2019s setup.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have had discussions with vendors that are already set up there,\u201d Lorigo said. \u201cThey\u2019re concerned that they\u2019re going to have to close down their business because they can\u2019t afford the hundreds of thousands of dollars, but now they don\u2019t know who\u2019s going to pay the bill.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he is blowing the safety concern out of the water.\u201d<\/p>\n
Erie County executive Mark Poloncarz sparked outrage after the Buffalo Convention Center canceled a DHS career expo over ICE\u2019s involvement. AP<\/p>\n
DHS sharply defended ICE\u00a0in a statement to Fox News Digital on Friday and rejected criticism as political.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur agents are focused on protecting the American people<\/a> \u2014 not entertaining performative outrage. Where is the outrage for Angel families who lost a loved one to\u00a0illegal alien\u00a0crime?\u201d a DHS spokesperson said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cTo most Americans, our brave ICE law enforcement are heroes. Eighty percent of Americans support arresting and deporting criminal illegal aliens from American neighborhoods.\u201d<\/p>\n DHS fired back, defending ICE agents as \u201cheroes\u201d and dismissing the cancellation as \u201cperformative outrage\u201d from critics. AP Photo\/Erin Hooley<\/p>\n A May Harvard CAPS\/Harris\u00a0online survey<\/a>\u00a0found 80% supported deporting immigrants who are in the country illegally and committed crimes<\/a>.<\/p>\n USAJOBS described the expo<\/a>\u00a0as the department\u2019s premier large-scale hiring event. It was open to the public, veterans, military spouses, people with disabilities and recent graduates, with recruiting planned across cybersecurity, intelligence, law enforcement, finance, human resources, immigration services, logistics and transportation security.<\/p>\n