City Councilwoman Cindy Bass issued a statement in support of the “ICE OUT” legislative package introduced last week by Working Families Party Councilmember Kendra Brooks and At-Large Councilmember Rue Landau.
“I strongly support the ICE OUT legislative package being introduced by my colleagues,” Bass said. “These bills are about protecting our communities, upholding civil rights, and setting clear boundaries on federal enforcement actions in Philadelphia.
“I am outraged by the conduct of a federal agency against American citizens, and as a taxpayer, a resident, and someone …
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City Councilwoman Cindy Bass issued a statement in support of the “ICE OUT” legislative package introduced last week by Working Families Party Councilmember Kendra Brooks and At-Large Councilmember Rue Landau.
“I strongly support the ICE OUT legislative package being introduced by my colleagues,” Bass said. “These bills are about protecting our communities, upholding civil rights, and setting clear boundaries on federal enforcement actions in Philadelphia.
“I am outraged by the conduct of a federal agency against American citizens, and as a taxpayer, a resident, and someone who cares deeply about both documented and undocumented families, I am heartbroken by the treatment we have seen in Minneapolis and across this country. Philadelphia must lead with compassion, accountability, and respect for human dignity. These bills are a necessary step to ensure our city remains a place where all residents can feel safe.”
Introduced in City Council on Jan. 29, the legislation still needs to go through the committee process before it can be voted on.
The bill’s primary objective is to limit the involvement of local law enforcement and city agencies with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement while also protecting residents’ rights by implementing legal changes that affect ICE enforcement in the city and local cooperation with federal agents.
Part of the bill would prohibit ICE and other law enforcement agents from concealing their identities by wearing face masks or using unmarked vehicles, along with requiring officers to display their badges. It would ban agreements which allow local police to act as ICE agents.
The bill would also prohibit city agencies from collaborating with ICE, including preventing agencies from collecting citizenship or immigration status information or sharing personal data with ICE.
Discrimination or denial of services based on citizenship or immigration status by the city, employers, housing providers, or private businesses would also be prohibited.
Lastly, the bill would block ICE from using city-owned properties as staging locations for raids, and bar city employees from granting ICE access to city-owned spaces, such as libraries, shelters, and health centers, without a judicial warrant.
