Immigration advocates in Philadelphia have been vocally demanding action from Mayor Cherelle Parker, urging her to double down on the city's commitment to sanctuary city policies amidst President-elect Donald Trump's proposed immigration agenda. A recent rally, which made its way from City Hall to the local ICE office, was spearheaded by the immigration rights organization Juntos.
At the heart of the rally was the community's concern over Trump's promises to rapidly enhance deportation efforts after taking office. According to WHYY, Erika Guadalupe Núñez, executive director of Juntos, stated, "Today we are here as Juntos, and with a coalition of organizations, asking the city, and particularly Mayor Cherelle Parker, to take a clear public stance around defending sanctuary city status in Philadelphia." This sentiment was shared by various organizations who see the need to robustly support immigrants against potential federal policies.
Mayor Parker has been less than assertive in her stance, offering cautious remarks on the future of the city's sanctuary status. About the city's policy, she was quoted in a CBS Philadelphia article, "I don't have any other additional comments about the matter at this time." Philadelphia's sanctuary city policy, originating from a 2016 executive order, limits local law enforcement collaboration with federal immigration agents, stipulating that ICE detainer requests must be accompanied by a judicial warrant and pertain to individuals convicted of violent felonies.
The advocates' demands go further, looking to importantly strengthen the protections given to immigrant communities. "Sanctuary is more than just ending collaboration with police and ICE," Núñez told 6abc. "Sanctuary is making sure our kids can go to school without fear of systemic abuses without fear of deportation." The call isn't for only preserving existing measures but also to widen the scope of sanctuary policies to ensure a broader sense of safety and support for immigrants.
While advocates prepare to weather potential new immigration policies, Councilmember Rue Landau bolstered the rally with her advocacy. Landau has proposed examining Philadelphia's protections for immigrant and marginalized populations more closely. "I will do everything in my power to ensure that public resources will never be used to support federal deportation efforts," she affirmed in her address to the demonstrators. The policy conversation in Philadelphia thus continues, with stakeholders and authorities grappling with the implications of a national political shift and its consequence on the local commitment to the sanctuary.
