Philadelphia city leaders gathered at City Hall on Friday, January 31, 2025, to stand up for the city’s immigrant community.
With immigration crackdowns happening across the country, many people in Philadelphia are feeling nervous, especially after federal agents were seen arresting immigrants in the city earlier in the week.
To make sure everyone knows where they stand, local officials—including Pennsylvania State Senator Sharif Street, District Attorney Larry Krasner, and Councilmember Rue Landau—held a press conference to say loud and clear that Philadelphia will continue to protect its immigrant residents.
This all started after President Donald Trump, who just began his second term last week, signed several executive orders to change immigration policies.
One of his orders tries to end birthright citizenship, even though the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees that anyone born in the country is automatically a citizen.
Another order threatens to take away federal funding from sanctuary cities, like Philadelphia, which limits how much local law enforcement cooperates with federal immigration agents.
Furthermore, border agents are now authorized to deport individuals apprehended crossing the border illegally without allowing them to seek asylum.
Now, many immigrant families are feeling afraid, and in some cases, they are avoiding public places or skipping work and school to avoid being targeted.
That fear only grew after ICE agents raided a car wash in the city’s Juniata Park neighborhood earlier in the week, detaining seven people.
Nationwide, ICE made over 1,000 arrests on January 29 alone, with 814 of those individuals being placed in detention centers.
This has put immigrant communities on high alert, worried that they or their loved ones might be next.
However, Philadelphia officials are working hard to remind residents that the city’s policies have not changed.
A city order, first put in place during former Mayor Jim Kenney’s time in office, prevents local police from working directly with ICE unless there is a judicial warrant and the person in question has been convicted of a violent felony.
This means Philadelphia police officers are not responsible for immigration enforcement, and the city will not help ICE separate families.
District Attorney Larry Krasner stated during the press conference that ICE has the right to perform its duties, but it must do so within the bounds of the law and treat individuals fairly.
He warned that any ICE agent who abuses their power by using unnecessary force or violating someone’s rights will be held accountable under Philadelphia law.
He also pointed out that the Trump administration cannot legally force local police officers or government officials to do the work of federal immigration authorities.
In addition, Pennsylvania State Senator Sharif Street stressed that executive orders cannot override the rights protected by the U.S. Constitution.
He reassured immigrants that due process still applies and that the president cannot unilaterally revoke birthright citizenship.
Meanwhile, Councilmember Rue Landau spoke about how important it is for Philadelphia to remain where families can stay together without fear of being torn apart.
Philadelphia State Representative Danilo Burgos, the son of Dominican immigrants, also pushed back against the idea that undocumented residents are a burden.
He pointed out that these individuals pay millions of dollars in taxes every year, work hard, and are part of Philadelphia’s communities.
Because of this, he urged citizens to call their federal representatives and demand real immigration reform instead of mass deportations and harsh crackdowns.
At the same time, immigrant rights organizations are taking action.
Jasmine Rivera, who leads the Pennsylvania Immigrant Coalition, announced that her group is organizing an immigrants’ strike on Super Bowl Sunday.
This means immigrant-owned businesses will close, workers will stay home, and customers will avoid shopping to demonstrate the economic power of immigrants.
She also encouraged people to spend money at immigrant-owned businesses on Valentine’s Day to show their support.
On another note, City Councilmember Nina Ahmad raised concerns about how the federal immigration crackdown could lead to serious public health issues.
She explained that if immigrants are too scared to visit a doctor or hospital because they fear being arrested, it could lead to a bigger health crisis.
With growing concerns about the spread of avian influenza, she warned that avoiding healthcare could put the entire community at risk.
After all, viruses don’t care about a person’s immigration status.
Meanwhile, the School District of Philadelphia has also been working to reassure families that schools remain safe spaces for all children, regardless of their legal status.
Recently, there were rumors that ICE agents were seen near school buildings, but the district has denied these claims.
Superintendent Tony Watlington said that schools are welcoming environments where students and their families should feel safe.
Interestingly, one person missing from the press conference was Mayor Cherelle Parker, who has not made many public comments about immigration issues in recent weeks.
Even though she has not changed any of the city’s sanctuary policies, some advocates were hoping she would speak out more forcefully against the Trump administration’s actions.
Nonetheless, Philadelphia officials made it clear that they were not backing down.
They believe that immigrants should be treated with fairness and respect and that the federal government should not force the city to participate in deportations.
They also argue that targeting immigrants does not make communities safer; instead, it creates fear and distrust between residents and law enforcement.
As federal immigration enforcement increases, Philadelphia’s leaders stand firm in their commitment to protecting immigrants.
They want everyone to know that the city will not be pressured to break up families or treat people unfairly.
For many in the immigrant community, that promise means a lot during these uncertain times.
