PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Justice Department is suing the City of Philadelphia over its laws that prohibit ICE officers from wearing masks.
The federal government is challenging the city ordinance enacted in April that prohibits ICE officers from wearing masks in the city. That law also requires ICE officers to display badges and prohibits them from using unmarked vehicles. It's one of a package of bills that City Council adopted to restrict ICE activities in Philadelphia.
The Justice Department, in its lawsuit filed Thursday in Philadelphia federal court, called the city's law an illegal and "blatantly unconstitutional" attempt to regulate the federal government. The government alleges that ICE officers have faced unprecedented harassment, and the city's action, which threatens officers with prosecution for protecting their identities, has a chilling effect on law enforcement.
Council passed seven ICE Out bills. Mayor Cherelle Parker signed six of them, but not the one being challenged in this lawsuit.
City Solicitor Renee Garcia advised against Parker signing the bill, and said it presented "significant legal problems, primarily concerning the authority of the city to regulate the conduct of federal officers."
Councilmember Rue Landau, one of the bill's sponsors, said in a statement that "this lawsuit is not about public safety. It is about Donald Trump demanding that cities bow down and accept federal overreach without boundaries."
“This lawsuit is about manufacturing a symbolic victory against cities that refuse to let the federal government dictate local governance,” said Jasmine Rivera, executive director of the Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition.
This is the latest in several suits brought by the government across the country. Similar suits were filed in New Jersey, Virginia, Connecticut and California.
