This article was originally published in The Notebook. In August 2020, The Notebook became Chalkbeat Philadelphia.
Mayor Kenney will not renew Philadelphia’s contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that permits the agency to access the city police department’s real-time arrest database, known as PARS.
Protesters at City Hall have been calling for weeks for an end to the agreement that can put immigrants at risk of deportation, though Kenney says his decision was based on months of conversations with immigrants and immigrant rights groups.
On Friday, Kenney said his administration has been concerned about ICE’s use of the database. ICE officials confirmed at a private meeting that its use of the database can result in immigration enforcement against Philadelphians who have never been convicted or accused of a crime.