This article outlines the urgent threat posed to Philadelphia's immigrant community by escalating federal immigration enforcement policies. It emphasizes the significant contributions of immigrants to the city's economy and culture while calling for immediate and decisive action by local authorities to protect residents and uphold values of justice and compassion.
As a community, we must take immediate and decisive action to protect our residents and uphold our values of justice and compassion. The current political climate, fueled by fearmongering and misinformation about immigrant crime, poses a serious threat to our city's fabric. This rhetoric, often espoused by politicians like Israel 'Izzy' Colón, has consistently stoked fears and advanced a nativist ideology by spreading misinformation about immigrant crime rates.
He has promised to arrest and deport an estimated 13 million or so unauthorized immigrants in the country. Many of these are “dreamers” and visa overstayers, who are our neighbors and have lived in the city and region for decades — many with their American-born children.Philadelphia has a rich history of welcoming immigrants. We are currently experiencing the highest representation of immigrants since the 1940s. We all know the obvious: immigrants in our city have been a major driver not only of population growth but the regional economy. We know that nearly 20% of workers in Philadelphia are foreign-born, and immigrants in Pennsylvania have $30.1 billion in spending power — and, yes, in 2021, paid $11.5 billion in taxes. Immigrants have filled critical roles in our workforce across various sectors, including healthcare, education, and hospitality. This includes unauthorized immigrants, who often work and pay taxes without a return on their investment. That’s right, even undocumented workers contribute to our society and economy.But Trump is uninterested in these facts or statistics. The president is aggressively pursuing strategies in his second term that include allowing the increased use of ICE raids and the criminalization of asylum seekers. The urgency requires courageous leadership. As a community, we must take immediate and decisive action to protect our residents and uphold our values of justice and compassion. Here are some possible strategies city officials can take. The city should establish a central clearinghouse number, possibly using 211, where people can call to get immediate legal assistance and report any incidents of raids or arrests. This will help track the nature and scope of federal actions while providing residents who are without legal recourse a legitimate and reliable place to call. The city should coordinate a citywide network of lawyers to provide pro-bono legal representation and support. This network should bring together all existing public interest law firms and other interested parties to develop strategies to challenge potential violations produced by these raids — such as arrests without warrants. Nonprofit agencies, especially those with city contracts, should be enlisted to provide necessary social services, particularly for children in cases where a parent is removed or arrested. The city should also bolster its existing “Welcoming Sanctuary Schools Resolution” which seeks to protect students from federal immigration authorities. But it could do more. A “what to do if…” multi-language fact sheet for parents could serve as a helpful guide. School leaders should partner with groups like the ACLU of Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia Immigrant Rights Coalition to provide training and resources to staff and students on their rights and how to navigate potential interactions with ICE. Mayoral executives orders are no longer enough. City Council needs to codify what it means to protect all residents — citizen or not — from illegal search and seizures. Policies should be enacted that require clear guidelines for local police roles and procedures as they interact with federal authorities, especially when addressing warrantless arrests and other potential violations of federal law enforcement tactics and raids. These proposals are not new or unprecedented; many municipalities have already implemented similar measures. It is time for our city to follow suit and reiterate its commitment to justice for all the residents of Philadelphia. This includes those that may not be “authorized” to be here but have been our neighbors and an integral part of our economy and our collective multi-cultural identity
IMMIGRATION PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCIL ICE RAIDS SANCTUARY CITY COMMUNITY RESOURCES LEGAL AID
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