Philadelphia City Council Proposes Sweeping Legislation to Limit ICE Presence
Two Philadelphia City Council members have announced plans to introduce a comprehensive package of laws aimed at curbing the power of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents within city limits. Dubbed "ICE Out," the proposal includes seven bills that would significantly restrict the activities of law enforcement agencies, particularly those associated with immigration.
At the heart of the plan are measures designed to prevent ICE agents from using face masks, unmarked vehicles, or city-owned property for raids, as well as a ban on city agencies sharing data or collaborating with the agency. Furthermore, individuals in Philadelphia would be protected against discrimination based on their immigration status.
Councilmembers Kendra Brooks and Rue Landau have been working on this legislation for months, and its introduction comes at a time when public outcry over fatal shootings by ICE agents in Minneapolis has intensified. The pair argue that silence from city leaders will not prevent an escalation of tactics by ICE agents in Philadelphia.
The proposal faces an uphill battle, as lawmakers must first hold a hearing on the issue before it can be brought back to the floor for a vote. Depending on the timing of the hearing, this could take several weeks – although Brooks and Landau claim they are already moving quickly, with a number of supporters indicating their support for the legislation.
The "ICE Out" package has garnered backing from various groups, including immigration advocacy organizations such as the Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition, New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia, and Make the Road Pennsylvania. This is not an isolated development, as similar proposals have been introduced in other cities, including Allentown and Reading, and at the state level.
As tensions surrounding ICE operations continue to rise, with calls for the removal of agents from communities nationwide and even across the country, it remains to be seen whether Philadelphia City Council will successfully push through this legislation.
Two Philadelphia City Council members have announced plans to introduce a comprehensive package of laws aimed at curbing the power of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents within city limits. Dubbed "ICE Out," the proposal includes seven bills that would significantly restrict the activities of law enforcement agencies, particularly those associated with immigration.
At the heart of the plan are measures designed to prevent ICE agents from using face masks, unmarked vehicles, or city-owned property for raids, as well as a ban on city agencies sharing data or collaborating with the agency. Furthermore, individuals in Philadelphia would be protected against discrimination based on their immigration status.
Councilmembers Kendra Brooks and Rue Landau have been working on this legislation for months, and its introduction comes at a time when public outcry over fatal shootings by ICE agents in Minneapolis has intensified. The pair argue that silence from city leaders will not prevent an escalation of tactics by ICE agents in Philadelphia.
The proposal faces an uphill battle, as lawmakers must first hold a hearing on the issue before it can be brought back to the floor for a vote. Depending on the timing of the hearing, this could take several weeks – although Brooks and Landau claim they are already moving quickly, with a number of supporters indicating their support for the legislation.
The "ICE Out" package has garnered backing from various groups, including immigration advocacy organizations such as the Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition, New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia, and Make the Road Pennsylvania. This is not an isolated development, as similar proposals have been introduced in other cities, including Allentown and Reading, and at the state level.
As tensions surrounding ICE operations continue to rise, with calls for the removal of agents from communities nationwide and even across the country, it remains to be seen whether Philadelphia City Council will successfully push through this legislation.
so they wanna limit ice presence in philly city council is doin somethin about all da outrage over ice agents killin ppl in minneapolis its about time someone takes a stand i mean wut r they s'posed to do? jus let ice take over the city?? no way 
these 2 councilmembers kendra brooks & rue landau r actually doin some good work here like, makin it illegal for ice agents to wear face masks or drive around in unmarked vehicles thats a huge step forward... and da fact dat philly ppl would be protected from discrimination based on immigration status is just 
these groups r backing dem too, so hopefully dis bill goes thru 
fingers crossed 
but seriously, these 2 council members are low-key geniuses for proposing "ICE Out" - it's about time someone took a stand against those agents being all sketchy and invasive. 
like Allentown and Reading, they're onto something! 
the fact that immigration advocacy groups are backing this legislation is huge too - it shows people are actually paying attention to these issues. 
the more important thing is that Philly's taking a stand against ICE and showing the country they won't be silenced 
i mean don't get me wrong, i care about social justice and all that but can we please focus on something else for once? like has anyone else noticed how the threads are always getting flooded with people asking the same questions over and over again? it's like no one's bothered to read what's already been posted 
anyway, back to philly... i feel kinda bad for them though, having to deal with all this ICE drama in their city 
but at the same time, can we talk about how ridiculous it is that there are still people who think face masks and unmarked vehicles are cool 
like what's next? asking for a participation trophy just for showing up? 
. It's interesting to see how this proposal intersects with the national conversation around ICE, which has gained significant traction since those fatal shootings in Minneapolis 
. By banning data sharing and collaborations, Philly is taking a proactive stance against what many see as law enforcement overreach 
. Of course, there are bound to be hurdles, but if public support for this legislation grows, I'm optimistic about its chances 
. And let's be real, if cities start getting more autonomy over immigration enforcement, it could lead to some really positive changes – like making it harder for companies to just poach workers from one place to another, or creating more opportunities for refugees and asylum seekers. Sure, there are gonna be some bumps along the way, but that's all part of progress, I guess 
... cities are supposed to be safe havens, right? But what happens when law enforcement is more focused on enforcing immigration laws than protecting its citizens? 
It's like, where do we draw the line between keeping people safe and infringing on their civil rights? 