Philadelphia city leaders unveiled sweeping new legislation Tuesday that would create some of the nation’s strictest limits on federal immigration enforcement, responding to aggressive ICE tactics in Minneapolis that have sparked political battles from City Hall to the U.S. Capitol.
The proposed measures include banning ICE agents from wearing masks during operations and severely limiting information the city shares with federal authorities. The plan comes as lawmakers nationwide grapple with fallout from President Donald Trump’s deportation campaign, which has faced mounting criticism after agents fatally shot protester Alex Pretti in Minneapolis Saturday — the second killing of a U.S. citizen there this month.
City Councilmember Kendra Brooks of the Working Families Party and Councilmember Rue Landau, a Democrat, joined dozens of activists and other elected officials Tuesday to announce a package of legislation aimed at protecting Philadelphia’s estimated 76,000 undocumented immigrants.
The proposed ordinance would codify the city’s existing sanctuary policies and expand them, placing new limits on how city agencies interact with federal immigration enforcement. As outlined during the news conference, the legislation would bar ICE agents from wearing masks during coordinated operations, prohibit the use of city-owned property as staging grounds for enforcement actions, and restrict access to municipal databases. City employees would also be prohibited from collecting individuals’ immigration status or allowing ICE access to libraries, shelters, health centers, and other community facilities without a judicial warrant.
Erika Guadalupe Núñez, executive director of the immigrant advocacy organization Juntos, said the legislation reflects growing concern over enforcement tactics and a push for firmer protections. “We deserve a city that has elected leadership that’s willing to step forward with clear and stronger protections,” Núñez said.
The Minneapolis operations have drawn criticism from both sides of the aisle. Sen. John Fetterman, the Pennsylvania Democrat who has sometimes aligned with Trump on immigration issues, called for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to be fired following Pretti’s death.
A growing number of Republicans have also expressed discomfort with the Minneapolis operation. Sen. Dave McCormick, a Pennsylvania Republican, has called for an independent investigation into Pretti’s killing.
Trump showed some willingness to adjust course, sending border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis to meet with Democratic leaders there. The president on Tuesday called Pretti’s death a “very sad situation.”
In Washington, senators face mounting pressure to block funding for the Department of Homeland Security, and that could trigger a government shutdown by week’s end.
Members of Pennsylvania’s U.S. House delegation have urged Fetterman to vote against DHS funding, though the senator has said he will not vote to shut down the government.
That stance has angered protesters, who rallied Tuesday outside Fetterman’s Philadelphia office, demanding he take a stronger stand against ICE operations.
Gov. Josh Shapiro said his administration has been preparing for the possibility of increased federal immigration enforcement in Pennsylvania, with state officials running through detailed planning scenarios in recent weeks. Speaking during a Monday night appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Shapiro said, “We have spent hours and hours and hours doing tabletop exercises to prepare for it.”
The governor, who is running for reelection and has been mentioned as a potential national contender, said the preparations are meant to ensure the state can respond if federal actions escalate. “I want the good people of Pennsylvania to know — I want the American people to know — that we will do everything in our power to protect them from the federal overreach,” Shapiro said.
Pennsylvania does not have a statewide sanctuary law, but several cities — including Philadelphia and Pittsburgh — maintain local policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, such as declining to honor ICE detainer requests without a judicial warrant.
Before it can take effect, the Philadelphia legislation will need approval from City Council — the process is expected to play out over the coming weeks. City officials have not set a firm timeline, but the bills are likely to move through committee hearings where residents and advocacy groups will have an opportunity to weigh in before any final vote.
At the same time, pressure continues to build in Washington as lawmakers debate how to respond to the Minneapolis operations. Calls for accountability have become entangled with negotiations over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, raising the prospect of a partial government shutdown later this week if Congress fails to reach a deal.
On the ground in Philadelphia, federal immigration enforcement remains difficult to track, with ICE releasing little public data about its operations. Advocates say enforcement activity has continued at courthouses and other locations, adding to uncertainty in immigrant communities as city leaders brace for what may come next.
