Philadelphia to stop giving ICE real-time arrest data, ends PARS agreement

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - The City of Philadelphia will stop sharing real-time arrest data with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Mayor Jim Kenney announced Friday that it will not renew to the Police Department's Preliminary Arraignment Reporting System (PARS) agreement with ICE due to concerns of their use of the system.

PARS is used to automate the processing of both felony and misdemeanor arrests made by Philadelphia police, and other law enforcement agencies like the FBI and ATF has access to pars.

ICE will no longer have access to PARS when the current agreement expires on August 31st.

"For some time now we have been concerned that ICE uses PARS in inappropriate ways, including to conduct investigations that result in immigration enforcement against law-abiding Philadelphia residents," said Mayor Kenney.

City officials say they arrived at a decision not to renew the agreement after deliberations in community meetings and dialogue with ICE leadership.

As a "sanctuary city," Philadelphia had already curbed cooperation with immigration enforcement. It won't release inmates to ICE without a judicial warrant.

The Trump administration wants to cut funding to the city as a result but has so far been blocked by a judge.

Kenney says "how anyone can define this as making America great again is beyond me."

The city says their decision not to renew their agreement with ICE has no impact on their partnerships with other federal law enforcement agencies.

The decision to end the agreement was applauded by the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania. They released the following statement after the announcement:

"The PARS database gives ICE a wide range of information about the people of Philadelphia, none of which is actually relevant to immigration enforcement. The mere access to that data, which is captured in real-time, enabled ICE to engage in surveillance, racial profiling, and fishing expeditions. The Philadelphia Field Office of ICE has been the most aggressive in the country. Its costly actions have greatly damaged our communities, without making them safer, and have resulted in the unjust and permanent separation of families. Access to the PARS database greased the wheels for ICE's strong-arm tactics. We are grateful to Mayor Kenney for this decisive action, and we are especially grateful to the many advocates who have worked together to push for this to happen."

Katie Waldman, Dept of Homeland Security spokeswoman released the following statement:

"This is an irresponsible decision that results in the city harboring criminal aliens. Sanctuary city policies makes American communities like Philadelphia less safe by putting the rights of criminal aliens over the safety and security of American citizens. Despite the misguided action taken by Philadelphia today, DHS will continue to work to remove illegal aliens and uphold public safety."

ICE released the following statement:

"ICE is deeply disappointed with the city's decision to abruptly terminate the agency's decade-long access to the PARS system. As it has been repeatedly stated, ICE was at no point in breach of the terms of its access to PARS.

The city's refusal to honor detainers, coupled now with the termination of the PARS contract further restricts ICE from detaining individuals with pending criminal matters or criminal convictions, and only adds insult to injury by needlessly compromising public safety.

Despite these attempts to obstruct ICE's lawful efforts to apprehend criminal aliens, the agency remains committed to its efforts to uphold public safety in the City of Philadelphia. "