The organization NO ICE Philly organized a demonstration on April 4 in front of Philadelphia City Hall to demand that the City Council approve the bill known as “ICE Out”, which addresses the actions of agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Aurora Muñoz, organizing manager with the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA), emphasized that a hearing on the bill will take place on April 13. “As an organization, we have been supporting this legislation, and we hope for a positive outcome that day, which would be another step toward a final approval vote,” she stated.
Carmenmaria, an NDWA member and house cleaner, spoke about the fear experienced by domestic workers, particularly those who work one-on-one with employers. She explained that the increased presence of ICE in Philadelphia has created greater insecurity, making workers more reluctant to file complaints or defend their rights due to the constant threat that employers may call ICE.
Muñoz pointed out that Philadelphia has strong laws in place, such as the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights, in effect since May 1, 2020, as well as the POWER Act of 2025, which includes protections against retaliation, including threats to contact ICE. “Nevertheless, we still need more support, such as what this ICE Out legislation could provide,” the activist concluded.
Meanwhile, Pastor Jay Bergen of the Germantown Mennonite Church highlighted the reasons why the municipal government must oppose kidnappings in the city, particularly as large-scale events approach, such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.
The event also included a food drive for immigrants currently living in shelters. The donations were delivered to New Sanctuary Movement for distribution. Miriam Oppenheimer of NO ICE Philly stressed the importance of the effort: “Many household breadwinners have been taken by ICE. In this way, we are able to support families facing financial stress and overwhelming burdens, and we want to stand in solidarity with them.”
Organizations advocating for immigrant rights that participated in the demonstration included the National Domestic Workers Alliance, Asian Americans United, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), JUNTOS, NO ICE Philly, New Sanctuary Movement, RISE, and the choral group Singing Philly Resistance, among others.
The Philadelphia City Council is currently reviewing a legislative package called “ICE Out,” aimed at restricting the activities of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal immigration operations within the city. The package, supported by at least fifteen City Council members, includes codifying limits on cooperation between local authorities and federal immigration agencies in sanctuary cities, as well as banning federal immigration agents from concealing their identities or covering their faces during operations.
