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

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 "ICE Out" 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.

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.

The committee sent similar letters 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 up to six years of documents and communications by May 18.

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.

Fairfax County officials were called to testify but have not yet appeared before the committee.

The letters to Philadelphia officials did not specify potential penalties should they not comply. The committee did not return requests for comment Wednesday.

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 environs into a "hunting ground" 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, nor could a spokesperson for the mayor's office.

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.

Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan and immigration subcommittee Chair Tom McClintock said they wanted replies from Philadelphia officials by May 18.

They leveled harsh criticism at Krasner, saying in an accompanying statement that the district attorney "has undermined the rule of law under the guise of safeguarding the public," and "openly given preferential treatment" to undocumented immigrants.

"The shielding of criminal aliens from immigration enforcement in Philadelphia undermines public safety and thwarts the efficient enforcement of federal law," the committee said.

The letter to Bilal condemns the sheriff for not allowing ICE to make arrests inside the city courthouse ― many cities impose the same bar ― and accused her of demeaning ICE as "made-up, fake, wannabe law enforcement" in January remarks that went viral on-line.

The committee leaders said it was safer for ICE to arrest immigrants inside courthouses, after they have passed through security screening.

"Even with your sanctuary policies," the committee told the sheriff, "far-left groups like No ICE Philly have urged you to take even more drastic steps to impede federal law enforcement."

Those advocacy organizations have repeatedly called on the sheriff to ban ICE officers from the courthouse, saying that agents roam the building before trailing immigrant witnesses, complainants, and family members outside to make arrests.

In April agents took a 76-year-old Indonesian man into custody when he appeared at the courthouse as a complaining witness in a criminal case.

Bilal says she bars ICE from making arrests inside the Criminal Justice Center, but cannot stop agents from entering a public space or control what occurs outside. Leaders of the First Judicial District, which oversees the Philadelphia courts, said Bilal is responsible for security decisions at the courthouse.

Advocates say the sheriff and the courts must revise and expand their policies to halt what they described as the almost continuous ICE arrests of immigrants who go to court seeking justice.

The police commissioner came under committee scrutiny for not complying with ICE-issued detainers, as has been city policy for years. Police and other city agencies accept judicial warrants signed by a judge, but not administrative warrants put out by ICE.

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

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This story was originally published May 6, 2026 at 4:23 PM.