Philadelphia Mayor Kenney will not renew his deal with protesters through ICE

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney will invite Occupy ICE activists to the City Hall on Friday to discuss the future of the city 's PARS program after announcing that he will be in the city. it will not renew the program of exchange of information with the federal immigration. "The decision not to renew the Preliminary Preliminary Reporting System (or PARS), the joint law enforcement program where the Philadelphia Police Information on Arrested Persons preceded a meeting with Occupy ICE activists who had blocked a stairwell at City Hall Wednesday to request a meeting with the Mayor.

Calls to End Access to the PARS have risen in recent weeks as dozens of protesters continue to camp Hall

"For some time we have been concerned that ICE uses PARS inappropriately, including to conduct investigations that result in the application of immigration against law-abiding residents of Philadelphia, "said Kenney." My administration has engaged a dialogue. e with ICE in recent weeks on its use of SEA data, and rather than quell these worries, ICE officials have confirmed a lot. "

Currently, immigration officers have access to The security data after an arrest are made, but this contract should end on August 31.

Kenney and City Councilor Marcel Pratt gave five reasons to terminate the SEA agreement: ICE officials have not ensured the city use the PARS to establish the profile Depending on race, ethnicity and / or national origin, ICE officials may use the PARS against residents who have not been charged with a crime . States, ICE does not conduct any verification or self-monitoring of the SEA and ICE has not responded to the request after the meeting of the City to address its concerns.

"As a result of this process, we have concluded that ICE may result in arrests of otherwise law-ab" These practices sow fear and mistrust in the large immigrant community of Philadelphia, and make it more difficult for our police department to solve civil immigration problems when the agency performs an operation because of the information found in the AES. crimes. I can not, in good conscience, let the agreement continue, "said Kenney

Philadelphia, as a" shrine city ", had already reduced its cooperation with the immigration services and would not release the detainees without a judicial warrant.CEI officials were disappointed with Philly's decision and stated that the agency "did not violate any of his teams' access to PARS."

"The city's refusal to honor the detainees, coupled now with the termination of the ICE contract, said:" Despite these attempts to hinder ICE's legal efforts to apprehend foreign criminals, "he said. The agency remains committed to its efforts to protect people from criminals. defend public safety in the city of Philadelphia. "

The deadline to come galvanized the ICE adversaries, who in addition to terminating the PARS contract, would like to see the entire re agency dissolved.

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner is part of those who called at the end of the program

"Frankly, cooperating with ICE at that time makes our city less safe because it scares the undocumented to report crimes or testify in criminal cases ", said Mr. Krasner earlier this month."

Other representatives of the city echoed the thoughts of Krasner and Kenney.

"The End of the SEA Contract" is the right decision, "said Miriam Enriquez, director of the Bureau of Immigrant Affairs, once again reinforcing to our immigrant communities that the city is not an extension of ICE. Criminal acts in our city will know that they do not have to fear the harmful consequences of immigration when they denounce crimes or use the services offered by the City.

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 10 Philadelphia