PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — City Council has advanced the ICE Out legislation, aimed at putting more guardrails around how ICE can operate in Philly. The Parker administration appeared to support the package despite some concerns about the language in parts of the bill.
Dozens of advocates packed City Council chambers for the Committee of the Whole’s hearing about the legislation. Throughout their testimonies, they shared stories about the fear ICE raids have instilled in their communities and lives.
“The safety and stability of my family and many other families depends on this package passing,” said 14-year-old Merelyn Mejia-Shepard of her immigrant parents. “The scariest thing to me is losing my family. Kids like me deserve to have our families united and communities unafraid.”
The package of seven bills prohibits data-sharing agreements between the city and ICE, bans the city from honoring detainer requests from ICE unless a judicial warrant is signed, and bars all law enforcement officers, including ICE agents, from concealing their identities, among other provisions.
Charles Elison, head of the city’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, said he appreciates City Council’s work to bring forth the package, and even offered the administration’s whole-hearted support for one of the bills banning discrimination based on immigration status. But said the remaining six bills “contain legally problematic language that has been outlined in a confidential and privileged analysis by the law department.”
He went on to cite previous executive orders prohibiting Philly police from honoring ICE detainers and from signing 287(g) agreements that let local police act as ICE agents, among others, that the Parker administration has said it will continue to enforce.
“This legislation draws a clear line: Philadelphia will not be complicit in policies that undermine the safety and dignity of our neighbors,” said Councilmember Rue Landau, one of the main sponsors.
The package could get a final vote in council as soon as April 23.
“Philadelphia will be less safe as a direct result of these policies," an ICE Spokesperson said in a statement. "Our partnerships with state and local law enforcement are key to removing criminal illegal aliens including murderers, rapists, child sex abusers, gang members and terrorists from American communities. When politicians bar local law enforcement from working with us, we must have a more visible presence so we can find and apprehend the criminals let out of jails and back into communities. Seven of the top 10 safest cities in the United States cooperate with ICE.
"America’s brave ICE law enforcement put their lives on the line every day to enforce U.S. law and arrest criminal illegal aliens — including gang members, rapists and murderers. The vilification of ICE must stop. This type of rhetoric and fearmongering is contributing to a more than 1,300% increase in assaults against them as they put their lives on the line.”
