"Even Reagan said we were the 'golden [sic] city on the hill,'" Mayor Mark Meadows said. "What this president, short though this reign may be already has done, I believe sets us back tremendously."

In addition, the order states that "sanctuary" cities that refuse to comply with 8 U.S.C. 1373, a federal statute reading that no government entity may withhold or impede immigration status information from the Federal Government, will be ineligible for federal grants.

“In this case, I think the executive order that I just referred to is completely unconstitutional because the president does not have the authority to legislate,” Meadows said. “Given that there is no penalty for violating 1373, the executive order cannot create one, which it has tried to do, and in addition to that 8 U.S.C. 1373 is an unconstitutional activity of Congress, in violation of the 10th Amendment to the United States Constitution.”

Those in attendance were vocally in favor of the resolution, with Meadows receiving mid-meeting applause for stating that the city would not comply with 8 U.S.C. 1373.

“Starting Friday night, I think there has been enormous fear and outrage and anger across this country about the executive order and the effect it's having on people’s lives,” East Lansing resident Christine Root said. “The role that you can play as a local government matters, and I am so pleased that this resolution says that the city of East Lansing will resist every effort by the federal government to implement President Trump’s executive order within its borders, and it makes me glad to live here.”

Councilmember Erik Altmann said he attended a No Ban No Wall rally at the Rock earlier Tuesday and heard enthusiasm from students when he announced what council had planned.

“When we passed the welcoming cities resolution one of the things I said was that we were going to be back here talking about this issue again, and here we are talking about these issues again, and we’re going to be talking about them again, I’m sure of it, in the coming years,” Altmann said. “We are in the fight of our lives, and we have to figure out how to stay energetic and take care of ourselves along the way. It helps a lot that we are all in like company, that makes a huge difference.”

On Dec. 1, 2015, council passed a resolution declaring East Lansing a welcoming community for Syrian refugees. This resolution follows that declaration in addition to neighboring Lansing’s recent steps toward becoming a "sanctuary city."

“The president, in his EO, has declared us to be a sanctuary city, so I am happy to support this resolution,” Meadows said. “I’ve read (Lansing) Mayor (Virg) Bernero’s very articulate statement of his position with regard to the executive order relating to immigration, and I would just say that, ditto.”