PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Dozens of immigrant rights advocates gathered outside Philadelphia’s City Hall on Tuesday, calling on Mayor Cherelle Parker to reaffirm the city’s sanctuary status ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Chanting “Parker, escucha, estamos en la lucha” — or “Parker, listen, we are in the fight” — the demonstrators marched to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in Philadelphia, demanding continued protection for undocumented residents.
In 2016, then-Mayor Jim Kenney declared Philadelphia a sanctuary city during Trump’s first term. The city successfully resisted legal challenges from the Trump administration, removing ICE from its police database to prevent the agency from using it to target undocumented individuals for deportation.
“Sanctuary means our city boldly declares that ICE actions — from raids to detentions and deportations — go against our values,” said Erika Guadalupe Núñez, executive director of Juntos, a South Philly-based immigrant rights organization.
Núñez emphasized that the rally was not just to defend a policy, but to protect a core principle: “Our city will not be a place of fear.”
With Trump now entering his second term, he has vowed to take action against cities that oppose his immigration policies. Advocates worry that without a clear commitment from Parker, the city’s immigrant community could be at risk.
“As we face Trump’s threats of mass deportations and detentions, we need the city’s leadership to defend sanctuary with urgency,” Núñez said.
Julio Rodriguez of the Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition also urged Parker to take a firm stance, saying, “Legal protections can change overnight. Our commitment must be unwavering. So, Mayor Parker, if you support immigrants, please stand up.”
In response, Councilmember Rue Landau has proposed a series of hearings to address the challenges of a second Trump term, covering issues such as reproductive rights, LGBTQ protections, and immigration.
“This is not the time for ambiguity,” Núñez concluded. “This is the time for intentional action and solidarity.”
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