Philadelphia City Council Condemns City Cooperation with ICE

Philadelphia, PA – On the afternoon of Thursday June 23, 2011, Philadelphia City Council passed a non-binding resolution “condemning the City of Philadelphia’s agreement with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to allow immediate access to arrest information,” which has led to the deportation of hundreds of Philadelphia residents. With Councilman Jim Kenny and Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez taking the lead, Council urged, “the City to discontinue that agreement with ICE when it expires August 31, 2011 as well as any other involvement in the Secure Communities program or additional data-sharing agreements with ICE”.

To read more check out the One Love Movement Blog

Criticism of the mis-named "Secure Communities" Confirmed on WHYY

Click this link to hear Susan Phillips explain the terrifying statistics of Secure Communities deportations here in Philadelphia.

"Sixty-one percent of those deported due to Philadelphia's role in the program are listed as non-criminals. That's much higher than the national average -- which is 27 percent."

Save the Date: April 12th Immigration Debate and Panel Discussion

On April 12th, the eve of the Philadelphia City Council primaries, “Voices for Safe and Diverse Neighborhoods”, a coalition composed of the New Sanctuary Movement, JUNTOS, Nationalities Services Center, Friends of Farmworkers and others immigrant rights advocacy groups, will hold a public debate on community safety in diverse communities.

The public debate will be held within the 1st City Council District, one of the most immigrant-rich districts in the City. Two well known public figures with differing view points will participate: Stu Bykofsky, a columnist with the Daily News, and Sarah Paoletti, a professor of law at University of Pennsylvania. Debaters will discuss the impact of local policies on the relationships between immigrant communities, citizen communities and the city government. Topics will include (but will not be limited to): city security policies that encourage or prevent racial profiling; police response to domestic violence situations; language access in linguistically diverse neighborhoods; and, especially, the pros and cons of the current information-sharing agreement between the Philadelphia Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security's office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

We will also invite at-large and 1st District candidates in the City Council elections to participate as panelists who will respond to the debate once it has concluded. Each panelist will be given a set amount of time to share her reflections and positions regarding the debated issues. We expect a large voter/resident turn-out from the 1st District and beyond as well as noted City leaders from government and the private sector with an interest in the topic and policies at stake.

For more information about how to become a Co-Sponsor or get more involved, email Jen Rock at nsmphiladelphia@gmail.com

The event will take place at Broad St Ministries, at 315 S. Broad St, from 7 pm to 9 pm.

March 22nd Event: Our Stories Connect Us: The Underground Railroad and the Sanctaury Movement

Our Stories Connect Us:
The Underground Railroad and
the Sanctuary Movement

On March 22nd, from 7pm to 9 pm,
at Arch St. United Methodist Church 55 N. Broad St.

New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia invites you to an evening of inspiration with "Cousin Millie," a professional storyteller who recreates stories of fugitive slaves seeking sanctuary and safety through the Underground Railroad. Through shared reflections, the NSM community will discover connections between the powerful history of the Underground Railroad and our own work for immigration justice today.

We are asking for a donation of $5 to help New Sanctuary Movement continue the fight for the civil and human rights of all people. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.