November 11, 2016
Philadelphia will stay a sanctuary city for its immigrant population, no matter what President-elect Donald Trump says, Mayor Jim Kenney recently announced.
“First of all, we’ve changed the name from sanctuary city to the Fourth Amendment city," Kenney told Philly.com Thursday. "We respect and live up to the Fourth Amendment, which means you can’t be held against your will without a warrant from the court signed by a judge. So yeah, we will continue to be a Fourth Amendment city abiding by the Constitution."
Philly is one of 31 cities, including New York City and Washington, D.C., with the status that means they don't proescute undocumented individuals.
Trump has threatened to cut funding to the nation's sanctuary cities, in line with his tough stance on immigration.
"Block funding for sanctuary cities ... no more funding. We will end the sanctuary cities that have resulted in so many needless deaths," Trump said in Phoenix, CNN reported. "Cities that refuse to cooperate with federal authorities will not receive taxpayer dollars, and we will work with Congress to pass legislation to protect those jurisdictions that do assist federal authorities."
While that may mean millions lost for Philadelphia, Kenney did not elaborate on an alternative plan should Trump follow through, Philly.com reported.
Trump's comments have caused many mayors of the sanctuary cities to issue similar messages as Kenney's - officials in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and more vowed to keep the status despite the threat to lose federal funds.
Just hours after he became mayor in January, Kenney signed an executive order that reversed former Mayor Michael Nutter's decision to allow city officials to more easily hand over information about someone if they're suspected of committing terrorism to federal immigration officials.
