Chairmen Jordan and McClintock Demand Information on Sanctuary Policies from Philadelphia Officials
May 4, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Chairman Tom McClintock (R-CA) sent letters to Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel, and Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal demanding information on their offices' sanctuary policies that prioritize criminal and illegal aliens over American citizens and threaten public safety.
During DA Krasner's tenure, the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office has undermined the rule of law under the guise of safeguarding the public. For nearly a decade, DA Krasner's office also openly given preferential treatment to illegal aliens based solely on their immigration status, even admitting that "low-level and nonviolent crimes should not lead to deportation or necessarily risk one’s immigration status." In fact, he created an Immigration Counsel position within his office to evaluate cases involving non-U.S. citizens so that foreign nationals "can avoid unnecessary and unjust consequences"—in other words, to shield criminal aliens from deportation.
Even in cases involving murder or crimes against minors, a prosecutor in Krasner's office may still consider a criminal alien's potential deportation or other immigration consequences in making prosecution decisions to favor an illegal alien.
The shielding of criminal aliens from immigration enforcement in Philadelphia undermines public safety and thwarts the efficient enforcement of federal law. In addition to openly favoring dangerous foreign nationals over U.S. citizens, DA Krasner's office coaches outside legal professionals on the best strategies to help criminal aliens avoid immigration consequences for their criminality.
Sheriff Bilal's office obstructs federal law enforcement from making safe immigration arrests at multiple Philadelphia locations, including the city's courthouse. Her policies prohibit federal immigration officers from effectuating an arrest with a federal warrant if the warrant is not "filed with the clerk of court 48 hours prior to the individual's court date." Even then, federal law enforcement is required to wait for the criminal alien’s transfer to the county prison before they may "effectuate the valid warrant."
The Philadelphia Police Department's (PPD) compliance with simple ICE detainers has been prohibited for years. This year alone, PPD has ignored detainers for an illegal alien from Guatemala with arrests for aggravated assault, strangulation, reckless endangering, and criminal mischief; a twice-deported illegal alien from Honduras with arrests for assault and stalking; an illegal alien from the Dominican Republic with multiple drug-related arrests, including for possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl; and an illegal alien from the Dominican Republic with arrests for assault and reckless endangerment.
Read the letter to DA Krasner here.
Read the letter to Sheriff Bilal here.
Read the letter to Commissioner Bethel here.
During DA Krasner's tenure, the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office has undermined the rule of law under the guise of safeguarding the public. For nearly a decade, DA Krasner's office also openly given preferential treatment to illegal aliens based solely on their immigration status, even admitting that "low-level and nonviolent crimes should not lead to deportation or necessarily risk one’s immigration status." In fact, he created an Immigration Counsel position within his office to evaluate cases involving non-U.S. citizens so that foreign nationals "can avoid unnecessary and unjust consequences"—in other words, to shield criminal aliens from deportation.
Even in cases involving murder or crimes against minors, a prosecutor in Krasner's office may still consider a criminal alien's potential deportation or other immigration consequences in making prosecution decisions to favor an illegal alien.
The shielding of criminal aliens from immigration enforcement in Philadelphia undermines public safety and thwarts the efficient enforcement of federal law. In addition to openly favoring dangerous foreign nationals over U.S. citizens, DA Krasner's office coaches outside legal professionals on the best strategies to help criminal aliens avoid immigration consequences for their criminality.
Sheriff Bilal's office obstructs federal law enforcement from making safe immigration arrests at multiple Philadelphia locations, including the city's courthouse. Her policies prohibit federal immigration officers from effectuating an arrest with a federal warrant if the warrant is not "filed with the clerk of court 48 hours prior to the individual's court date." Even then, federal law enforcement is required to wait for the criminal alien’s transfer to the county prison before they may "effectuate the valid warrant."
The Philadelphia Police Department's (PPD) compliance with simple ICE detainers has been prohibited for years. This year alone, PPD has ignored detainers for an illegal alien from Guatemala with arrests for aggravated assault, strangulation, reckless endangering, and criminal mischief; a twice-deported illegal alien from Honduras with arrests for assault and stalking; an illegal alien from the Dominican Republic with multiple drug-related arrests, including for possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl; and an illegal alien from the Dominican Republic with arrests for assault and reckless endangerment.
Read the letter to DA Krasner here.
Read the letter to Sheriff Bilal here.
Read the letter to Commissioner Bethel here.
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