Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner is under fire after making inflammatory remarks about federal immigration officers while supporting new legislation aimed at restricting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities within the city, Fox News reports.
During a press event outside City Hall promoting a new “ICE OUT” initiative, Krasner, a progressive prosecutor whose campaign has received backing from George Soros, pledged to “hunt down” ICE agents, comparing them to Nazis. He argued that the agency’s practices represented federal overreach and violated constitutional rights.
“This is a small bunch of wannabe Nazis. That’s what they are,” Krasner said. “In a country of 350 million, we outnumber them. If we have to hunt you down the way they hunted down Nazis for decades, we will find your identities. We will find you. We will achieve justice.”
The proposed package of bills, introduced by City Councilmembers Kendra Brooks and Rue Landau, seeks to curb ICE’s presence in Philadelphia. Under the legislation, ICE would be prohibited from using city-owned buildings or property, and city departments would be barred from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement, according to Fox News. It would also restrict ICE’s access to public spaces such as libraries and health centers unless officers obtain a judicial warrant, while preventing the city from sharing data with federal immigration authorities. Supporters describe the plan as a defense of local autonomy and constitutional rights, while critics argue “the language escalated tensions and raised concerns about rhetoric directed at federal law enforcement officers.”
Krasner’s remarks have drawn sharp condemnation from state lawmakers. Pennsylvania legislators have cautioned both the district attorney and Philadelphia County Sheriff Rochelle Bilal that interfering with federal operations could violate state law and invite serious legal repercussions. Earlier this month, Krasner stated that any ICE agents who “commit crimes” in Philadelphia would face arrest and prosecution, insisting that such cases would fall under state authority and could not be pardoned by the president. Sheriff Bilal echoed his stance, referring to ICE personnel as “fake, wannabe law enforcement” and warning them against aggressive operations in the city.
State Sen. Jarrett Coleman, a Republican from Allentown, dismissed Krasner’s and Bilal’s comments as political theater, arguing that local officials cannot legally obstruct federal enforcement.”If they do obstruct federal law enforcement efforts, the Pennsylvania Senate will be the least of their worries,” he told Fox News Digital.
The White House also condemned the rhetoric. Spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said ICE officers have faced a significant increase in assaults due to what she called “dangerous, untrue smears by elected Democrats.” Citing a reported 1,300% rise in attacks, Jackson said ICE agents “act heroically to enforce the law and protect American communities.” She added that local officials should cooperate with federal law enforcement rather than undermine it.
“Anyone pointing the finger at law enforcement officers instead of the criminals is simply doing the bidding of criminal illegal aliens,” she declared.
Republican lawmakers, including House Minority Leader Jesse Topper of McConnellsburg, also criticized Krasner and other Philadelphia leaders. Topper called their statements hypocritical and “outright laughable,” accusing them of focusing on political battles rather than addressing the city’s violent crime problem.
In response, Sheriff Bilal’s office maintained that arrests within Philadelphia fall under city jurisdiction and dismissed lawmakers. The “ICE OUT” legislative package is expected to be formally introduced before the full Philadelphia City Council later this week, after which it could move to Mayor Cherelle Parker’s desk for approval.