Letters to the Editor | Jan. 19, 2026

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in and around our courthouse and city are a blatant abuse of power that undermines due process, destroys community trust, endangers public safety, and is morally abhorrent. If justice matters in Philadelphia, the courthouse must remain a sanctuary from civil immigration enforcement and not a place of fear and intimidation. Sheriff Rochelle Bilal has promised to protect Philadelphians from ICE’s tactics, yet her office claims it lacks the authority to shield people from civil immigration arrests at, or just outside, the courthouse. As the official responsible for courthouse security, the sheriff has both the tools and the obligation to make sure everyone can access justice without fear.

ICE agents have exploited restricted entrances and carried out violent arrests right outside the courthouse doors. There are also reports of deputies sharing information about courtroom locations with ICE. These actions deter people from exercising their rights and erode trust in the courts. If deputies would intervene during an assault just outside, they must show the same commitment to protecting folks from ICE kidnappings. ICE has no legitimate place in our courts or anywhere in Philadelphia. We must ensure the courthouse remains a true place of justice, dignity, and safety for all, and we must all do what we can to protect our neighbors from this vicious ICE campaign.

Carrie Rathmann, Philadelphia

The Inquirer’s Kristen A. Graham reports that Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. has announced the (eventual) opening of two new schools in North Philadelphia based on Geoffrey Canada’s Harlem Children’s Zone. This announcement comes as Watlington plans to tell the public which district schools are about to be closed. Huge contradiction here with the impending school closures the public does not want, and a surprise declaration of two new schools to open. The part I find most offensive is Watlington saying: “We’re going to make sure the school is staffed with the very best, most effective principals … We’re going to ensure that these schools are staffed with the very best, most effective teachers.”

Is he really saying current teachers, staff, and principals are not the best? What would happen if they had the resources to support their students as promised with the two new schools? Mayor Cherelle L. Parker promised year-round schools (as these new ones will be). I must ask: Why hasn’t she created them in already existing schools? Where is the funding coming from, and how long will it last? Who was included in creating this proposal for the new schools? Neither Parker nor Watlington is known for being transparent or engaging in genuine community involvement.

Karel Kilimnik, Philadelphia

Donald Trump has been described as a narcissist, a racist, a despot, a bully, a convicted felon, a demagogue, an oligarch, an intimidator, and a liar. A new term has been added to the list: imperialist. What is the difference between Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and Trump’s threat to invade Greenland? Trump can no longer broker a peace between Russia and the United States. He has lost all credibility. With his actions in Venezuela and threats against Colombia, Cuba, Iran, and especially Greenland, is his plan to destroy NATO and allow Putin to try to dominate Europe? Is he giving Xi Jinping the green light to invade Taiwan? Does Trump envision himself as the supreme ruler of the Western Hemisphere? These questions will have their answers in a short period of time. It took his administration one year to get to this point. What will the next three years bring?

Richard Zanoni, Edgewater Park

An American citizen named Renee Nicole Good was shot dead in Minneapolis in what Robert Reich called a “cold-blooded murder.” Her killing was carried out by masked men from a paramilitary organization that is running amok in the streets of America. The last paramilitary organization that ran amok in the United States under the protection of those in power was the Klan. The parallels are unmistakable. Both wear masks, or in the case of the Klan, a robe and hood. They kill innocent people because they are the “enemy within.”

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is an official government organization, while the Klan operated with local and state governments’ blessing. Their violence is fueled by the unaccountability enabled by hiding their faces and the governmental protection racket that covers up their crimes. In the case of ICE, that racket is run by Donald Trump and Kristi Noem. Our nation brought the Klan under control. The first step in controlling ICE is to remove the masks by outlawing them. You can’t hold people accountable unless you know who they are. California passed a no-mask law for law enforcement officers. Pennsylvania must be next.

Gary Goldman, Newtown

The recent CBS Evening News interview between anchor Tony Dokoupil and President Donald Trump, conducted on a noisy Ford factory floor, raised more questions than answers about the administration’s approach to Iran. When the president warned he was prepared to take “strong action” if Iran executes protesters, the exchange felt strained and unclear, with Dokoupil struggling to maintain control of the conversation. Although I now live in Florida, my expectations for CBS were shaped decades ago in Philadelphia, where I attended Father Judge and grew up watching the network with my family.

During the Vietnam War, Walter Cronkite delivered the news with a steadiness and credibility that helped the country navigate one of its most divisive eras. When he ended each broadcast with “That’s the way it is,” we believed him. Today, many viewers watch CBS with a degree of cynicism, and the tone of this interview did little to restore confidence. Communities far from Washington feel the stakes. A TV report here warned that even a single miscalculation between the U.S. and Iran could trigger a wider conflict. A miscalculation is not a strategy. It is a small misunderstanding or hasty reaction that spirals into something no one intended. That’s the way it is.

Tom Feaster, Tampa, Fla.

Donald Trump is the president and leader of the United States. He was not chosen to be the ruler or dictator of our country. A leader guides his followers on a path that is best for the group. Does anyone think bombing suspected drug boats and killing suspected drug runners, hijacking Venezuelan oil and taking over the country, trying to annex Greenland against the wishes of its people, killing American citizens during immigration raids, and gutting the Affordable Care Act is the right path for America? Many of these actions resemble those taken by Adolf Hitler, Josip Broz Tito, Josef Stalin, and other dictators. Do we want a leader like them?

Can we stand by while being led by the likes of Pam Bondi, Kristi Noem, Pete Hegseth, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — all underqualified when compared with previous department heads? It’s time to practice the old axiom, “Lead effectively or step aside and let someone else lead.” But who are the followers who have the integrity and intestinal fortitude to speak up? It’s certainly not Republican legislators, who whisper only mild dissent, then cower to scrutiny for fear of losing their jobs. Some Democrats speak up, but their voice is not strong enough. We, the average American citizen, must speak up and be heard. A loud and determined voice must reach our leaders and say, “No! Enough! We will not follow you down this path.”

Jim McGogney, Marlton

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