The Philadelphia City Council Committee of the Whole heard testimony on the package of legislation introduced by Councilmembers Landau and Brooks aimed at curbing the activities of ICE in Philadelphia.
Councilmember Rue Landau said this legislation was essential because the 250th Anniversary of the nation meant discussions about freedom, liberty, and the founding ideas of America.
“We’re going to celebrate the courage and vision of those who have built this nation, but have a responsibility to relay that history truthfully,” Landau said. “This is a nation built by immigrants. That is the story of who we are as a country and the shoulders upon whom we stand.”
Minority Leader Kendra Brooks stressed the importance of the legislation by referencing tragedies caused by ICE over the last two years.
“We must be an activist city in the face of federal government overreach, as we sit here today, can anybody in this room tell me the identities of the ICE agents who murdered Renee Good or Alex Pretti?” Brooks asked. “No one can, because it has been covered up in hopes that we forget we need ICE out of the shadows.
Charles Elison, Executive Director of the Office of Immigrant Affairs for the City of Philadelphia, said the Administration supports Bill No. 260058, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of citizenship and immigration status, but has concerns about the legality of the other six pieces of legislation. However, the bill’s sponsors shared amendments with the City Law Department late last week that may provide clarity regarding city issues.
Elison said the Administration understood and appreciated the the intent behind the legislation.
“City Council shares the vision of Mayor Cherelle Parker, which is to make Philadelphia the cleanest, greenest big city in the nation, and with access to economic opportunity for all,” Elison said. “Now, more than ever, our most vulnerable Philadelphians, many of whom are simply a US Citizenship and Immigration Services adjudication or immigration court deceiving away from what our federal agencies would call ‘continuous residence’ in the United States, and we are now seeing increasing long wait times and backlogs just for those adjudications. “
“We realize these backlogs are having a comounding public safety impact on our already vulnerable community members,” Elison continued.
Elison said the language in certain pieces of the legislation were “legally problematic,” but said the Parker Administration plans to continue to take executive action that aligns with the intention of the bills.
Police and Public Safety Testify During Budget Hearings
Touting a 60 year low in shootings and homicides, the Philadelphia Police Department testified before the Philadelphia City Council Committee of the Whole, discussing their $934 million budget.
Councilmember Rue Landau asked the department about its use of drones, which had not been purchased through traditional budgeting, but instead by the Philadelphia Foundation. Landau expressed concern over the lack of a comprehensive drone policy regarding the department’s use of drones.
“We know that transparency and oversight are critical when developing new systems around public safety,” Landau said. “As chair of the Technology Committee, last year I asked for details around the program. I remain alarmed there are not proper guardrails in place, and there is lack of transparency.”
Landau also raised concerns over the sharing of data with federal law enforcement agencies such as ICE.
Bethel said the drone video footage, as well as body cam and other surveillance footage, is all stored in the same place, to which the District Attorney and Defender’s Association have access.
“Our plan is to present a dashboard to the community, but we’re working through the finalization of that dashboard,” Bethel said. Additionally, he said the department could provide annual reports on drone usage and operations.
Chief Public Safety Officer Adam Geer faced a more difficult line of questioning from Councilmember Anthony Phillips, who took issue with what he perceived as the department’s lackluster communication with his office, as well as the initiatives the department funds through its grant programs.
“I get calls all the time about neighbors who are disappointed in the fact that we have all this money going out to the prevention organizations,” Phillips said. “We see the crime is going down, but to them, they wonder why we are giving money to organizations they don’t recognize.”
When Geer attempted to defend his department’s practices and responsiveness to Philadelphia’s communities, Phillips again criticized the department’s communication.
“I’m not saying they aren’t responding,” Phillips continued. “Your job is to coordinate with us. You are not asking your team to contact council members. You keep telling me over and over again that you call me, but we had a situation last week where unfortunately a (young person) passed away in our district. I got calls (from other city agencies) but do I get a call from you? No, I don’t.”
Geer defended the department’s handling of the situation Phillips referenced, and their communication practices.
“I hear the point you are making,” Geer said. “(But) our teams were on the ground. That’s part of the Rapid Response Unit. We had made the determination with our other government partners, which were coordinated through the Office of Public Safety and the Mayor’s Office of Community Engagement.”
The unusual exchange ended with the Councilmember and Director agreeing to meet in the near future to discuss ways to better cooperate.
SEPTA Offers Gloomy Picture of Future
SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer testified to the beleaguered transit agency’s financial issues, which have persisted due to a transit funding mechanism still not being included in the state budget.
Sauer said Philadelphia would provide $134 million in operating funds to the agency, and a total of nearly $900 million over the next five years. According to a state-wide formula, each dollar SEPTA receives enables seven dollars in state operating assistance. The city will also contribute nearly $10 million to SEPTA’s capital budget, used to repair infrastructure and equipment.
Austerity measures and other financial cuts have reduced SEPTA’s budget by $30 million, which will be a combined $2.7 billion for fiscal year 2027. This includes $1.84 billion in operating costs, and $920.7 million for capital improvements.
Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson inquired as to the status of SEPTA’s latest push to reconfigure city bus routes, the successor of the ill-fated “Bus Revolution” started under the leadership of past general manager Leslie Richards.
“Can you please provide an update on the implantation (of the new bus network) and how you are working to ensure all riders, but especially seniors, students, and parents will be notified of the bus network changes,” Gilmore Richardson said.
Sauer said the authority would undertake public hearings on the proposed changes, and had deployed representatives to bus stops to discuss the potential changes. Sauer said SEPTA had made similar efforts prior to last year’s proposed service cuts.
“What we found really made a difference in folks capacity to understand what we were doing,” Sauer said. “The services cuts were a drastic change from what people were accustomed to, well beyond what we’re doing with the new bus network. So we really want to make sure that people understand what these changes mean for them.”
It remains to be seen how effective SEPTA is with this outreach effort, as community meetings held to present the ill-fated “Bus Revolution” plan were not well-advertised and did not usually include question and answer sessions.
This article is a part of Every Voice, Every Vote, a collaborative project managed by The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. The William Penn Foundation provides lead support for Every Voice, Every Vote in 2024 and 2025 with additional funding from The Lenfest Institute for Journalism, Comcast NBC Universal, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Henry L. Kimelman Family Foundation, Judy and Peter Leone, Arctos Foundation, Wyncote Foundation, 25th Century Foundation, Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation, and Philadelphia Health Partnership. To learn more about the project and view a full list of supporters, visit www.everyvoice-everyvote.org. Editorial content is created independently of the project’s donors.
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