Philadelphia leaders respond to federal immigration actions, remind residents of rights
Philadelphia leaders gathered at City Hall on Friday to respond to recent federal immigration enforcement actions and remind residents of their rights and protections under the law.
Leaders have spoken out about residents' rights since President Trump undertook several executive orders and actions on immigration in the first days of his second term.
The orders and actions include one that aims to end birthright citizenship, which has immigrant communities and other groups in the city on edge. Another order suspends federal funding for so-called "sanctuary cities," which are places that restrict cooperation between local law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The Trump administration has also instructed border agents to summarily deport migrants crossing into the country illegally without allowing them to request legal protection like an asylum hearing.
During the morning news conference, state and local lawmakers took aim at Trump's orders.
"No one person through the stroke of a pen can change due process or people's fundamental rights," State Sen. Sharif Street said.
Lawmakers said undocumented immigrants still have rights and encouraged them to reach out to their offices and organizations for resources. However, state and local protections are limited. District Attorney Larry Krasner admitted ICE has the authority to operate in the city.
"ICE is going to do what it is legally and constitutionally entitled to do. As a law enforcement officer, we would not interfere with that," he said.
Krasner went on to call several of Mr. Trump's immigration moves unconstitutional.
"Birthright citizenship is gone. Really? Fourteenth Amendment says it's not. Only the most important part of the United States Constitution. Commandeering doctrine gone. Really? That's interesting," he said. "I think the 10th Amendment says otherwise. Sanctity of church is gone. Really? I think the First Amendment says otherwise."
In a recent "Trump preparedness hearing," Philadelphia officials said the city has not changed its commitment to Executive Order No. 5-16, enacted during Mayor Jim Kenney's administration. The order says the city will not honor ICE detainer requests unless supported by a judicial warrant and pertain to a person convicted of a felony involving violence.
"If you are a criminal and you've murdered someone, you will be dealt with for murdering someone, regardless of your documentation status," said Street.
The School District of Philadelphia has also had to respond to rumors that ICE has been spotted near school buildings (which the district has refuted). Superintendent Tony Watlington said ahead of his State of the Schools address the district is committed to "creating safe, welcoming spaces for our students and families ... in alignment with the U.S. Constitution, Pennsylvania state law..."
ICE recently conducted a raid Wednesday at Complete Auto Wash in North Philadelphia, entering the lot and arresting seven employees for immigration violations, officials said Friday.
But immigrant leaders say they're fighting back. They are calling for a week of action, starting on Super Bowl Sunday. They're encouraging immigrant-owned businesses to close and immigrant workers and consumers to stay home. They say they want to show immigrants' economic strength.
"We are millions of people who have been working hard to contribute to this country, and we are being treated like criminals," said Juan Carlos Romero, owner of Philly Tacos in South Philadelphia.
Romero said he came to the U.S. from Mexico City 22 years ago. While Romero decided to not disclose his immigration status to CBS News Philadelphia, he said these last few weeks have been hard on everyone.
Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition Jasmine Rivera told CBS News Philadelphia that her grandfather came to the U.S. as an undocumented immigrant in the 50s — before being able to change his status.
"If it wasn't for him choosing to swim the Rio Grande, to come to this country and risk his life in doing so, then work hard, hard labor, on the railroads, I wouldn't be here today," she said.
Rivera now heads the Pennsylvania Immigrant Coalition, an organization that's been very busy since Trump launched his mass deportation effort.
