These 5 urgent measures are needed to protect our city’s immigrant community

Since entering the political arena, President Donald Trump has consistently stoked fears and advanced a nativist ideology by spreading misinformation about immigrant crime rates. He has promised to arrest and deport an estimated 13 million or so unauthorized immigrants in the country. Many of these are “dreamers” and visa overstayers, who are our neighbors and have lived in the city and region for decades — many with their American-born children.

Immigrants in Philadelphia constitute about 16% of the population — the highest representation since the 1940s. We all know the obvious: immigrants in our city have been a major driver not only of population growth but the regional economy. We know that nearly 20% of workers in Philadelphia are foreign-born, and immigrants in Pennsylvania have $30.1 billion in spending power — and, yes, in 2021, paid $11.5 billion in taxes. Immigrants have filled critical labor shortages across a number of industries.

This includes unauthorized immigrants, who often work and pay taxes without a return on their investment. That’s right, even undocumented workers pay their share into Social Security but will never collect a cent.

» READ MORE: Immigration reform, not crackdowns, would help America thrive | Editorial

But Trump is uninterested in these facts or statistics. The president is aggressively pursuing strategies in his second term that include allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests in places that were treated, by prior administrations, as safe havens. Schools and places of worship are now targets of these enforcement efforts. The idea is to create fear and chaos.

Let’s be clear, arrests of undocumented workers and deportations occur every day. However, Trump’s policies violate all international legal standards for migrants seeking asylum, and ignore basic due process. As a result, the recently reported immigrant-related raids authorized by the Trump administration have sent shockwaves throughout our city and nation.

As a community, we must take immediate and decisive action to protect our residents and uphold our values of justice and compassion. The urgency requires courageous leadership. Here are some possible strategies city officials can take.

Legal assistance hotline. The city should establish a central clearinghouse number, possibly using 211, where people can call to get immediate legal assistance and report any incidents of raids or arrests. This will help track the nature and scope of federal actions while providing residents who are without legal recourse a legitimate and reliable place to call.

Pro-bono legal help. The city should coordinate a citywide network of lawyers to provide pro-bono legal representation and support. This network should bring together all existing public interest law firms and other interested parties to develop strategies to challenge potential violations produced by these raids — such as arrests without warrants.

Increased social services. Nonprofit agencies, especially those with city contracts, should be enlisted to provide necessary social services, particularly for children in cases where a parent is removed or arrested.

Bolster school protections for children. The School District of Philadelphia board should be commended for reaffirming its commitment to its “Welcoming Sanctuary Schools Resolution” which seeks to protect students from federal immigration authorities. But it could do more. A “what to do if…” multi-language fact sheet for parents could serve as a helpful guide. School leaders should partner with groups like Juntos, HIAS Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition, Esperanza and other immigrant advocates and service providers, all of whom are experienced in addressing the plight of our immigrant and “undocumented” residents.

Clearer guidelines for police. Mayoral executives orders are no longer enough. City Council needs to codify what it means to protect all residents — citizen or not — from illegal search and seizures. Policies should be enacted that require clear guidelines for local police roles and procedures as they interact with federal authorities, especially when addressing warrantless arrests and other potential violations of federal law enforcement tactics and raids.

Meantime, we must rely on the capable leadership of Mayor Cherelle L. Parker to announce a citywide response and strategy, particularly now that the city’s immigration director has resigned.

These proposals are not new or unprecedented; many municipalities have already implemented similar measures. It is time for our city to follow suit and reiterate its commitment to justice for all the residents of Philadelphia. This includes those that may not be “authorized” to be here but have been our neighbors and an integral part of our economy and our collective multi-cultural identity.

Israel Colón is an urban policy analyst and former director of multicultural affairs for Mayor Michael Nutter.