Ahead of another Trump Administration, Philly leaders talk sanctuary city status

Will Philadelphia remain as a sanctuary city as President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House?

In the first Trump Administration years, Philly was in the spotlight as a so-called sanctuary city.

The label of sanctuary city related to a city’s policies about interacting with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and sharing information with the agency.

With Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker in office, this is a different administration than the last time Donald Trump was president and Jim Kenney was mayor.

In 2018 under Kenney, Philadelphia won a legal victory during Trump’s first term that prevented his administration from withholding grant money because of the city’s sanctuary policies.

President-elect Trump has made promises for mass deportations once he takes office again and Mayor Parker told NBC10 that she and her administration is waiting to see what policies, rules and regulations Trump sets forth.

Mayor Parker explained next steps would be up to her team, including the police commissioner, to discuss how Trump’s policies would impact the city.

“I believe in America. Our diversity is by far our greatest strength,” Parker said. “We are a city made up of neighborhoods and I believe our diversity is our greatest strength but I won’t make public policy in response to comments on the campaign trail.”

NBC10 caught up with the co-founder of Casa de Venezuela Philadelphia, Emilio Buitrago, which supports and advocates for immigrants.

“Philly is a sanctuary city until the mayor and city council decide otherwise,” Buitrago said. “What we expect from Mayor Parker is just to reaffirm the sanctuary city policies in the city.”

Meanwhile, District Attorney Larry Krasner’s first term overlapped with Trump’s first term as president. When speaking with NBC10, Krasner shared his thoughts on Philly remaining as a sanctuary city.

“Sometimes words take on meaning beyond what they are. The bottom line is I consider Philly a place where the law and the constitution will apply and do apply to immigrants: Those who have legal status and those who do not,” he said.

Krasner explained that if ICE agents act in illegal ways, he would charge them.

“If ICE agents are doing raids in the city of Philadelphia and if they are doing raids consistent with the law they’re not going to have a problem with me,” he said.