Amid recent immigration enforcement actions, Pittsburgh cancels International Parade, "It's simply not safe."
The City of Pittsburgh and the Mayor's Office say the event could potentially become a target for immigration enforcement activity. The decision was made proactively and not in response to any specific threats.
"We remain committed to celebrating and supporting immigrant and refugee communities," the Mayor's office said in a statement. "We are actively exploring other contributions."
Local advocacy groups like Casa San Jose, which supports Pittsburgh's Latino community, say they support the decision.
"Unfortunately, because of the way ICE is targeting communities of color, it's simply not safe to have something like this," said Monica Ruiz, Executive Director of Casa San Jose.
The parade, typically held in Downtown Pittsburgh, is a celebration of the city's cultural diversity and the many international communities that call Pittsburgh home.
"The melting pot that is Pittsburgh, I'd love to see that happen," said Peter Stalter, a city resident. "But I don't want to see folks feel unsafe here in the city. I think it's important we show the diversity and culture we have in Pittsburgh."
Others, like Anthony Davis, agreed with the cancellation given the current climate.
"I kind of agree with it in this climate because you don't want to egg anything else on," Davis said.
Ruiz emphasized that bringing together people of mixed immigration statuses could unintentionally make them vulnerable.
"To have a group of people with mixed statuses coming together, I really think it would be a target," Ruiz said. "Right now, is really a time for us to look within ourselves and see where we're going to stand in this point of time in our history and make bold changes."
While the International Parade and Festival will not take place this year, other events will still move forward. The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership and the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs will host World Square next weekend, another celebration highlighting Pittsburgh's international communities.
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