Krasner rips Trump and House Judiciary Committee over ‘war against immigrants,’ welcomes GOP leaders to, ‘Pull up!’
Krasner offered sharp rebukes to committee Chair Jim Jordan of Ohio and Tom McClintock, chair of the subcommittee on immigration.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner rebuked the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, telling its GOP leadership “not to spend tax money carrying out an untruthful, authoritarian, political campaign.”
His criticism came after committee Chair Jim Jordan of Ohio and Tom McClintock, chair of the subcommittee on immigration, accused the Philadelphia officials of shielding criminal immigrants through sanctuary policies. In letters sent to Krasner, Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel and Sheriff Rochelle Bilal, the congressmen sharply criticized the city’s handling of immigration matters.
Krasner responded at a Wednesday news conference, saying the Trump administration was waging “war against immigrants.” He said he not only welcomed a public hearing before the committee, which has suggested it might call witnesses, he demanded one.
“I’m available next week,” he said, addressing Jordan. “Let’s go.”
Krasner said he didn’t know if Jordan was aware of a Philadelphia expression, but wanted to tell the committee chair: “Pull up! Pull up! Pull up!”
That’s a way to invite someone to show up ― often for a fight.
Krasner said he would provide documents requested by the committee to the extent possible, given a May 18 deadline. And that he would be requesting documents from the committee and federal government.
The Judiciary Committee accused the Philadelphia officials of shielding criminal immigrants through sanctuary policies.
The action by the GOP-led committee represented an escalation by Trump-allied Republicans in their criticism of Philadelphia government on its rules concerning undocumented residents, particularly in the city’s decisions to limit cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The May 4 letters accused Krasner and the others of having “undermined the rule of law under the guise of safeguarding the public,” and “openly given preferential treatment” to undocumented immigrants.
Krasner, a Democrat, has been outspoken in his criticism of Trump, his administration and his GOP allies.
On Wednesday Krasner said that contrary to GOP claims, only a small sliver of undocumented immigrants commit serious crimes. And that it was Trump policies, carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, that were giving those offenders a “get out of jail free card.”
That’s because the accused are being arrested and deported to their homelands by ICE before they can stand trial ― to be held accountable and potentially to be sentenced to long years behind bars.
“Are you listening, Donald Trump? Krasner asked. “No conviction, no sentencing.”
During the half-hour news conference, he called Trump a fascist who seeks to destroy the truth and targets vulnerable communities.
He suggested that Jordan sent the letters on May 4 as an attempted distraction. That day, Krasner said, depositions were released in the Ohio State University sexual abuse scandal.
Survivors of Dr. Richard Strauss have said that Jordan, a wrestling coach, knew about the abuse suffered by student-athletes. Jordan has repeatedly denied having any knowledge of abuse.
The committee said in its letters it was conducting oversight of state and local jurisdictions that it believes endanger American communities by refusing to assist federal immigration officials. It demanded responses by May 18.
The Trump administration has repeatedly clashed with cities and states that embrace sanctuary policies, criticizing them as hurting Americans and threatening to cut their federal funding.
Philadelphia has long been among the targets. In August, when the White House published a dramatically shortened list of sanctuary jurisdictions, winnowing the total from more than 500 to 35, Philadelphia stayed on the roll.
Last week Mayor Cherelle L. Parker approved legislation that codified the city’s sanctuary policies and banned ICE from conducting operations on city property. The mayor signed six of seven “ICE Out” bills that came to her desk after being passed by City Council.
She took no action on the seventh bill, which bars immigration agents from concealing their identities, meaning it will still become law.
The new provisions take effect in July, 60 days after they were signed.
The letters from the committee sought up to six years of immigration-related communications between the individual local 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 from activists who say she has done too little to restrict ICE at the courthouse, allowing the agency to turn the environs into a “hunting ground” for undocumented people going to court.
Similar letters were sent on the same day to law enforcement officials in Virginia, accusing leaders in Arlington County and Falls Church of undermining federal immigration laws and supporting “illegal and criminal aliens over American citizens.”
The committee demanded that the Virginia officials also produce documents and communications.
Since the current session of Congress began in January 2025, the committee has sent similar inquiries to the attorney for Washington state, and also to the state’s attorney and the sheriff in Fairfax County, Va.
The letters to Philadelphia officials did not specify potential penalties should they not comply.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
