- Bethlehem City Council approved a federal investigative partnership in a four-three vote on September sixteenth, twenty twenty-six.
- One city detective will work with Homeland Security Investigations at least thirty hours weekly under federal supervision.
- The memo blocks local immigration enforcement and limits the assignment to trafficking, cybercrime, fraud, smuggling, and export cases.
Bethlehem City Council approved a federal investigative partnership in a 4-3 vote, giving a city police detective a role in complex cases while expressly barring local enforcement of federal immigration laws. The council approved the memorandum of understanding with Homeland Security Investigations on September 16, 2026.
The arrangement places one Bethlehem Police Department detective with federal investigators for at least 30 hours each week. A federal Homeland Security supervisor will oversee the assignment.
Chief Michelle Kott requested the partnership. She told the council it would bring the department “additional funding,” “additional training,” and “additional resources” for investigations that reach beyond city borders.
The agreement does not expand the department’s immigration role. Kott said Bethlehem police would not participate in immigration enforcement actions.
“additional funding,” “additional training,” and “additional resources”
Kott described the arrangement as a way to strengthen investigations requiring federal coordination. The assigned detective will serve as a federal task force officer while remaining connected to the local department.
The detective will work federal cases that cross city borders
The agreement covers investigations involving human trafficking, child predator cases, drug smuggling, cybercrime, financial fraud, and export violations. Those cases can involve activity outside the city or conduct with a federal component.
The partnership gives the department access to federal investigative support and coordination. The detective’s weekly assignment will last at least 30 hours.
The federal supervisor will direct the detective’s work in the task force role. The arrangement therefore adds federal resources without authorizing city officers to enforce federal immigration law.
Council members Rachel Leon, Michael Colon, Bryan Callahan, and Justin Amann voted in favor. The 4-3 tally approved the agreement after concerns tied to federal immigration enforcement policies.
The vote created a narrow investigative partnership
| Agreement term | What it provides |
|---|---|
| Assignment | One Bethlehem police detective works with federal investigators |
| Weekly schedule | At least 30 hours with a federal Homeland Security supervisor |
| Duration | Indefinite, unless either side ends the agreement |
| Termination notice | At least 30 days’ written notice |
The agreement remains in effect indefinitely. Either side can terminate it by providing at least 30 days’ written notice.
That provision gives both governments an exit from the arrangement without setting a fixed expiration date. Until either side acts, the detective’s federal assignment can continue under the agreement’s terms.
The arrangement is not a 287(g) immigration-enforcement agreement
The partnership is between local law enforcement and DHS/HSI for investigations, rather than a general immigration-enforcement agreement like a 287(g) arrangement. Bethlehem police do not enforce federal immigration laws as part of their existing local role, and the memo preserves that position.
The distinction also limits the stated purpose of the assignment. The detective will support cases such as trafficking, cybercrime, fraud, smuggling, and export violations, not conduct immigration enforcement operations.
The council’s approval followed a request from Kott, who said the federal connection would help the department handle investigations extending beyond Bethlehem. The memo’s language separately addresses the immigration concern by stating that city police cannot enforce federal immigration laws under the partnership.
An additional account dates the council approval to September 15, 2026. The reporting describing the approval was published on September 16, 2026. The agreement itself uses the 30-day written-notice provision for termination.
This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration attorney about your specific case.
