Phila. Mayoral Candidate Says Immigrants Should Be Treated Like Human Beings
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It's not an issue in Philadelphia's mayoral campaign, but candidate Jim Kenney spent part of his last day on the campaign trail discussing immigration policy.
It's a front-runners luxury to spend the closing hours of the campaign on an issue he cares about but that he, himself, acknowledges is unlikely to generate votes.
"People who are not documented or not citizens can't vote for me. It's not about them voting for me. It's about them being treated like human beings," Kenney said.
Kenney has long been an advocate for immigration reform so he was happy to accept restaurateur Ben Miller's invitation to address the dirty little secret of the city's vibrant dining economy-- it runs on undocumented labor. "The guy comes in and shows the chef his ID. The chef makes a copy and whether or not it's false, it's not their job."
Kenney promised to retain Philadelphia's sanctuary city policy. "There's very little we can do other than keeping the federal government off you," he says.
Kenney's opponent has vowed to end that policy.