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House Judiciary committee criticizes Philly law enforcement over sanctuary policies, demands immigration records and correspondence

The committee sent three similar letters to District Attorney Larry Krasner, Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel and Sheriff Rochelle Bilal.

Philadelphia has been the site of repeated protests against ICE, and sometimes against city officials who activists say must do more to protect undocumented residents. Here an officer with U.S Department of Homeland Security moves a member of the clergy during a No ICE Philly protestor outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement in March.
Philadelphia has been the site of repeated protests against ICE, and sometimes against city officials who activists say must do more to protect undocumented residents. Here an officer with U.S Department of Homeland Security moves a member of the clergy during a No ICE Philly protestor outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement in March.Read moreAlejandro A. Alvarez / Staff Photographer

The House Judiciary Committee has accused Philadelphia’s top law enforcement officials of shielding criminal immigrants through sanctuary policies and demanded that they quickly turn over a trove of related records and correspondence.

The GOP-led committee’s action represents an escalation by Trump-allied Republicans in their criticism of Philadelphia government on rules concerning undocumented residents, particularly in limiting city cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Thursday marks the deadline for Mayor Cherelle L. Parker to either sign or veto a high-profile legislative package aimed at restricting immigration enforcement that was passed by City Council last month. The mayor can also let the bills become law by taking no action.

The committee sent letters to District Attorney Larry Krasner, Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel and Sheriff Rochelle Bilal on May 4 that accused them of hindering federal immigration enforcement.

It was not immediately clear if letters were sent to officials in other cities.

Each letter seeks up to six years of immigration communications between their agencies and federal immigration officials, and in the sheriff’s case, with activist groups including No ICE Philly, Juntos, CAIR Philadelphia, Asian Americans United, the Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition, and New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia.

Bilal has faced criticism in Philadelphia from activists who say she has done too little to restrict ICE, allowing the agency to turn the courthouse grounds into a “hunting zone” for undocumented people going to court.

Her office declined to comment on the letter she received. Krasner and Bethel could not immediately be reached for comment.

Efforts to reach a spokesperson for the mayor were not immediately successful.

Staff writers Ryan Briggs and Anna Orso contributed to this article.

This is a developing story and will be updated.