ICE Raids in Philly: How will city respond to Trump's executive orders

Members of Philadelphia City Council are assuring the immigrant and LGBTQ communities the city has laws to protect them in advance of potential action by the Trump Administration while suggesting those protections have limits.

Acting on Trump’s promises to deport undocumented immigrants, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, known as ICE, are expected to launch raids in Philadelphia.

What they're saying:

Just three days after Donald Trump was sworn in, city officials are building a defense against his policies on immigration and LGBTQ issues, expecting the worst. FOX 29’s Jeff Cole asked Councilmember Rue Landau if she, "Would urge the Parker Administration to resist ICE’s efforts in this city?" She replied, "Oh absolutely, I would urge the Parker Administration, City Council, and everybody else in Philadelphia."

The Justice Department is telling federal prosecutors to investigate state and local officials who try to stop enforcements of immigration laws.

The Acting Deputy Attorney General says all necessary steps need to be taken to "…protect the public and secure the American border."

Related

Here's what Trump did on his first day in office

During his first day back in the White House, President Donald Trump signed his first group of executive orders aimed at an array of policies.

Local perspective:

The School District of Philadelphia was pressed Wednesday on its response if ICE shows up at city schools. City Council member Anthony Phillips asked, "How will the school district respond to people knocking on school doors and trying to take children?" Nathalie Neree of the School District of Philadelphia said, "Right now, as of today, all school members and staff are to contact the office, obtain the documents and await further direction."

Landau, City Council’s first openly LGBTQ member, said Philadelphia has laws to protect immigrants, including rejecting ICE’s requests to detain people. Pressed on the issue, Landau said, "There are going to be certain ways in which we won’t be able to protect people." Officials said, one of those ways is a warrant signed by a judge.

Members of the LGBTQ community said they too are threatened by the new administration and argue over the next 4 years, they just want to be left alone. Activist Mx Deej McCoy said, "Trans and nonbinary people are not a threat. We try to survive and thrive like everyone else."

Dig deeper:

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said, regarding the administration's threat to local officials:

"Arrests and prosecutions are based on probable cause, not on whether you agree or disagree with a political position. Unlike the current president, who this week pardoned or commuted sentences for over one thousand lawfully convicted and sentenced insurrectionists, my office and others will continue to uphold the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law."

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