Nutter revises city policy on immigrants suspected of serious crimes

Tom MacDonald

December 22, 2015

Jasmine Rivera, right, of the Latino community advocacy group Juntos says changing Philadelphia's policy to be more cooperative with the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency means more deportations. (NewsWorks file photo)

Philadelphia will cooperate more closely with federal immigration officials following Mayor Michael Nutter’s signing a new executive order Tuesday.

The order gives city officials authority to share information about immigrants in this country illegally — but only under certain conditions, Nutter said.

It would apply to those suspected of terrorism or espionage, he said, or anyone who “has been convicted of first-degree felonies such as murder, rape, robbery, unlawful possession of a firearm, or member of a criminal street gang.”

But even sharing information about those suspected of serious crimes is unfair, said Jasmine Rivera. lead organizer with the Latino community advocacy group Juntos.

WHYY thanks our sponsors — become a WHYY sponsor

“We know from experience that these type of programs are not going to differentiate between people,” she said. “They are going to see that someone is undocumented, and they are going to move towards their mission, and their mission is to deport undocumented immigrants.”

Mayor-elect Jim Kenney, who can rescind or modify the executive order in January, has said that he will.

WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.