Philadelphia councilwoman and judge bemoan immigration issues

Recent numbers show Philadelphia ranks fifth in the nation when it comes for deporting immigrants for minor offenses.  The head of Philadelphia’s courts and at least one member of City Council aren’t happy about it.City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell was extremely upset with Judge Pamela Dembe on how illegal immigrants arrested on minor charges are handled in the city.”When they are picked up and found they are immigrants they wind up in the deportation system that hurts them that they don’t need to be in,” Blackwell said.Judge Dembe said the federal government is checking arrest information from many cities against immigration records.  “When people are picked up and they are found guilty if the feds find out about it and they are here illegally current national policy says to throw them out of the country,” Dembe said.The judge said the immigration issue is caught up in politics.”It’s a shame, we are not handling it very well,” said Dembe.Councilwoman Blackwell said there needs to be a better way to handle the situation.

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