PHILADELPHIA – Along with a coalition of community organizations and legislators, domestic workers in Philadelphia played a central role in introducing the “ICE OUT” legislative package, one of the broadest proposals in the country to limit collaboration of local authorities with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The package was introduced on January 27, 2026 at City Council and is supported by a majority of council-members, according to local media reports. The initiative is led by council-members Kendra Brooks, who previously worked as a nanny, and Rue Landau.
While introducing the legislation, driven by the National Domestic Workers Alliance, NDWA, several workers took part in press conferences and protests in front of City Hall, where they spoke out about how federal immigration policies affect their work and family life.
Note: The National Domestic Workers Alliance is the partner organization of La Alianza.
“We do the work that makes all other work possible. What would happen in the city if domestic workers couldn’t do their jobs due to the ICE offensive?”, said Sandra, a home care worker. “This fear also means that, by not defending their rights or reporting abuses in the workplace, abusive employers feel even more empowered, since they can now threaten ICE intervention to exploit immigrant workers.”
What the “ICE OUT” Package Includes
The ICE OUT Package includes several bills, among which are:
- Prohibiting ICE agents from concealing their identities with face-masks and from using unmarked vehicles.
- Preventing the city from collaborating with ICE, prohibiting participation in any federal immigration control operation.
- Prohibiting sharing data with federal immigration officers and prohibiting city agencies from collecting information on immigration status.
- Prohibiting ICE from using city property as staging locations for raids and barring employees from granting ICE agents access to city-owned spaces without a judicial warrant.
- Establishing protections against discrimination based on immigration status in accessing city services and in employment, a measure that labor organizations consider key for immigrant workers.
Ever-present Fear
Philadelphia has been the setting scene of immigration raids that have led to dozens of arrests since 2025. Organizations like Juntos [Together], Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition and Make The Road Pennsylvania, among others, have reported an increase in fear in immigrant communities due to ICE presence in Philadelphia.
Representatives from these organizations said that they often get calls from people who skip work, medical appointments or school due to fear of coming in contact with immigration agents.
What Comes Next
The ICE OUT Package has to go through City Council committees before a final vote. If approved, it will go to Mayor Cherelle Parker, who has said that she will evaluate the bills with her legal team.
Editor’s note: This article was originally written in Spanish and translated into English by Tilde Language Justice Cooperative
