ICE Out in Philly

Legislation and protest collide as Council presses for stronger protections

As rumors swirl about a potential U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement surge in Philadelphia, two council members proposed legislation last month that would restrict federal agents’ activities in the city.

Under the measures, all law enforcement officers would be barred from wearing masks or using unmarked vehicles in the city, with exceptions for undercover work, SWAT teams, and medical needs. ICE agents would be prohibited from using city-owned properties as staging areas for immigration raids and from entering city buildings, including libraries and shelters, without a judicial warrant.

A separate measure would codify Philadelphia’s longstanding “sanctuary city” policy by formally banning participation in ICE’s 287(g) program, which allows local police to detain people wanted for immigration violations so they can be transferred to federal custody.

Introducing ICE Out

Kendra Brooks and Rue Landau announced the legislative package, dubbed “ICE Out,” at a rally outside City Hall on Tuesday, January 27th, alongside immigrant advocacy groups and elected officials.

“When federal agents are terrorizing our communities, we must take action,” Brooks said, arguing that ICE activity in the city has already created widespread fear among immigrant families. “ICE is already here in Philadelphia, tearing families apart and forcing people to live in fear.”

The measures mirror similar non-cooperation ordinances passed last fall in municipalities such as Allentown and Reading, and reflect growing national concern over aggressive immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.

Advocates at the rally said the proposed legislation responds to real and escalating fear among undocumented residents in Philadelphia. Erika Nuñez, director of the immigrant rights group Juntos, said the organization’s rapid-response hotline has received hundreds of reports of ICE activity since launching last year.

“We’ve received calls describing ICE agents using public parking lots and other communal spaces to prepare for enforcement actions, which creates panic for anyone who sees them,” Nuñez said. She added that families have contacted the group because they are afraid to seek medical care, apply for municipal IDs, or contact police out of fear their information could be shared with immigration authorities.

Strength and Solidarity

District Attorney Larry Krasner, one of several city officials in attendance, sharply criticized ICE agents as “a small bunch of wannabe Nazis” and praised community observers who document enforcement actions using cellphone videos.

“There will be accountability now and after Trump leaves office,” Krasner said. “If we have to hunt you down the way they hunted down Nazis for decades, we will find your identities. We will find you and prosecute you under the Constitution and the laws of the United States.”

West Oak Lane resident Sandra Bryant-Downie, a home care worker and cleaner, and a member of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, said many of the Black and brown people in her profession are likewise afraid of going out in public.

“We do work that makes all other work possible. What would happen in the city if domestic workers can’t do their job because of ICE aggression?” she asked. “This fear also means that, because they do not stand up for their rights or report abuse in the workplace, it makes abusive employers feel even more powerful because they can use the threat of ICE action to exploit immigrant workers.”

First They Came

Ahmet Tekelioglu, executive director of the Muslim civil rights organization CAIR-Philadelphia, told a story about a community member who hadn’t eaten in three days because he was afraid to go out to buy food, and who called a local imam for help.

“The idea of not poking the bear will not fly in these times. We need to learn from the long struggle for civil rights in this country. We need to learn that those who frame Somali immigrants in Minnesota as a threat will come after all of us,” he said. “That’s why we need this legislation in Philadelphia.”

Some local officials, including Krasner and Sheriff Rochelle Bilal, have issued increasingly forceful warnings to federal authorities, while advocacy groups have staged multiple protests in recent weeks. Brooks and Landau have also sponsored bystander trainings to help residents understand how to document and respond to immigration enforcement activity safely.

Off the Record

Mayor Cherelle Parker has taken a more cautious approach. While maintaining Philadelphia’s existing policy of not allowing police to hand over detained individuals to ICE, she hasn’t specifically addressed the Trump administration’s immigration agenda publicly.

During an interview last month, Parker was asked whether she was deliberately avoiding conflict with the administration. “You could look at it like that,”  she said.

It remains unclear whether the “ICE Out” package will gain enough support in City Council to advance, or whether Parker would ultimately sign the legislation. Parker’s office declined to comment, saying city officials had not yet reviewed the proposed legislation.

Meanwhile, Councilmember Brooks is committed to moving this legislation ahead as fast as possible. “We want to make sure that we’re doing all we can to keep Philadelphians safe, ” she said in a recent interview for Democracy Now, “And we’ll continue to work with our state and federal legislatures to make sure that Pennsylvania is a welcoming place for our immigrant neighbors.”

❓WHAT’S IN THE “ICE OUT” PACKAGE

The proposed legislation addresses four areas:

• Identification: Requires law enforcement officers to display badges and limits the use of masks and unmarked vehicles, with narrow exceptions.
• Cooperation and data: Codifies the city’s ban on 287(g) agreements and restricts city agencies from sharing personal data with ICE.
• Public services: Prohibits discrimination or denial of services based on immigration or citizenship status.
• City spaces: Bars ICE from using city-owned property or entering facilities such as libraries and shelters without a judicial warrant.

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This article features reporting by Meir Rinde for Billy Penn (Jan. 27)