New ICE enforcement actions prompt harsh reaction from Philadelphia city officials
PHILADELPHIA - After Trump signed executive orders in his first week in office, directing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, to try to round up people in the U.S. who are undocumented immigrants, the agents went on a spree arresting people who are undocumented and U.S. citizens alike.
One such raid took place at a North Philadelphia car wash January 28, where a family watched their father, someone living here since 1998, be arrested and taken away.
What we know:
The son of one of the seven men arrested in an ICE raid on a North Philadelphia car wash Tuesday told FOX 29 his father is a family man with no criminal history who works every day.
46-year-old Oscar Guerrero of North Philly crossed the border from Mexico in 1998. He’s the father of three sons who worked as the detailing supervisor at Complete AutoWash on East Hunting Park Avenue until ICE agents swept-in early Tuesday morning, arresting him and six others for living in the U.S. illegally. Oscar’s son, John, said, "Who likes to see their dad handcuffed for working simply every day and just being taken away."
Oscar Guerrero is being held in a detention center awaiting a hearing while his 21-year-old son, also working at the car wash Tuesday, described the scene to FOX 29.
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What they're saying:
Video of the raid shows John Guerrero raising his hands as an ICE agent approaches. Cuffed and questioned, Guerrero, a U.S. citizen, was released. The ICE raid drew sharp criticism from politicians and the D.A. Friday.
City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier said, "Trump ordering ICE to raid our neighborhoods, businesses, hospitals, schools, and churches makes every Philadelphian unsafe and is for no other purpose than to sow chaos and fear."
The City Hall gathering was to assure the immigrant community Philadelphia leadership will stand with them. The D.A. warned ICE agents to act lawfully. Larry Krasner said, "Any ICE agent, any Proud Boy who thinks hate crimes are cool, thinks ‘I can get away with anything because there’s a king in D.C.’ - no, you can’t."
What's next:
The immigrant community is now ready to fight back starting with a general strike in Philly on Super Bowl Sunday. Jasmine Rivera, of the Pennsylvania Immigrant Coalition, said, "That means immigrant businesses are closed. That means immigrant workers stay home. Immigrant customers stay home as well."