A controversy erupted in Buffalo when Republican Erie County Legislator Lindsay Lorigo accused Democratic Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz of overstepping his authority by influencing the Buffalo Convention Center to cancel a planned Department of Homeland Security (DHS) career expo. This two-day event, scheduled to begin on Tuesday, was pulled because local officials objected to the participation of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), citing potential protests.
“The 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,” Lindsay Lorigo told Fox News Digital.
Despite the interference, Lorigo noted ongoing discussions and hoped for a reversal of the cancellation decision. She pointed out that vendors had already invested time and effort into the expo setup, emphasizing the inconvenience and financial implications.
“I have had discussions with vendors that are already set up there,” Lorigo said. “They’re concerned that they’re going to have to close down their business because they can’t afford the hundreds of thousands of dollars, but now they don’t know who’s going to pay the bill.”
The DHS defended ICE, rejecting criticisms as politically motivated. A spokesperson emphasized ICE’s role: “Our agents are focused on protecting the American people – not entertaining performative outrage. Where is the outrage for Angel families who lost a loved one to illegal alien crime?” The spokesperson cited data indicating strong American support for ICE operations.
According to a May Harvard CAPS/Harris online survey, 80% of respondents supported deporting immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally and have committed crimes.
The DHS career expo was described as a large-scale hiring event, open to the public. Recruiters were to focus on various fields, including cybersecurity, intelligence, law enforcement, finance, and more. This cancellation comes amidst a challenging employment scenario, with 25,100 people unemployed in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga area in July, marking a slight increase in the jobless rate from a year earlier.
In defense of the decision, County Executive Poloncarz stated Erie County owns the convention center but does not manage its bookings. He expressed that the venue should not host recruitment activities that clash with community values. The convention center’s President and CEO, Patrick Kaler, echoed these sentiments, stating management initially requested DHS hold the event without ICE.
“When it became clear that was not possible, we made the decision to cancel as we feel it’s in the best interests of our community at this time,” Kaler explained.
Efforts to reach Poloncarz for comment were unsuccessful.
CJ Womack, an associate editor at Fox News Digital, analyzed the unfolding events. Having joined the team in 2026, Womack contributes to understanding the intersection of journalism with politics and culture. Graduating in 2025 from Long Beach State University with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Journalism, Womack’s insights are informed by years of media analysis.