By their disrespectful, arrogant and self-centered actions, they have made an Undocumented Declaration of Independence - from U.S. laws. To get here they ignore U.S. law, and once here they throw a pity party and demand immunity from other law - such as deportation. Nutter in the past has sympathized with illegal immigrants because Philadelphia is a "humane" city.
Enforcing U.S. law is inhumane? Is that what our mayor thinks?
"Conversations are ongoing with federal agencies, and we do expect to have a resolution in a short time," mayoral press secretary Doug Oliver told me yesterday.
Earlier this week, the Inquirer reported that Nutter is expected to announce that the city will end one year of cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, under which ICE viewed Philadelphia police arrest records.
Pay close attention: Philadelphia arrest records. ICE isn't pulling random people off the street, and no one gets arrested for traffic violations or spitting on the sidewalk.
Yes, we believe in a presumption of innocence, but these people were in custody.
Under a program known as Preliminary Arraignment Reporting System, ICE checked arrest records to see if any truly bad alien actors were on the list. If so, deportation would follow jail. ICE spokesman Mark Medvesky tells me that ICE has no interest in the status of victims or witnesses. "Our priority is convicted criminal aliens," he said.
With PARS, ICE could find previously convicted felons on the list and alert Philly police. Without PARS, such dangerous people might be released to prey on you and me.
