July 16, 2010 – Mayor Michael A. Nutter issued the following statement regarding today’s unanimous vote by the Preliminary Arraignment Reporting System Steering Committee to extend the PARS agreement between the City of Philadelphia and Immigration and Customs Enforcement for one year:rnrnEarlier today the Preliminary Arraignment Reporting System Steering Committee – comprised of Police Commissioner Ramsey, District Attorney Seth Williams, and Municipal Court President Judge Marsha Neifield – voted to extend by one year the agreement between the City of Philadelphia and Immigration and Customs Enforcement following the expiration of the current agreement on August 31st.rnrnThe new agreement will NOT provide Immigration and Customs Enforcement with access to information regarding victims and witnesses.rnrnLet me repeat – the new agreement will NOT provide Immigration and Customs Enforcement with access to information regarding victims and witnesses.rnrnI said on July 1st that we want to have an agreement with ICE, but that we needed to fix and refine the PARS system to ensure the correct and appropriate information is being shared regarding those who have committed a crime and been arrested.rnrnI also never for one minute suggested that Philadelphia would not continue to participate in Secure Communities, which sends fingerprint information of those arrested here to ICE. rnrnHowever I was not prepared to extend the PARS agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement as long as the database that we provided access to contained information on victims of crime, and witnesses to those crimes.rnrnIt is only by working with communities and witnesses that we solve crimes and bring those responsible to justice. rnrnWe need people to come forward. That is why we recently announced new funding for the District Attorney’s Office to help with tackle the problem of witness intimidation.rnrnAn arrangement with the federal government which discourages whole communities from sharing information and cooperating with the Philadelphia Police Department means that everybody in our city is less safe. rnrnThat was not an arrangement that I was willing to tolerate.rnrnI ordered the Division of Technology to work with the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and the Deputy Mayor for Administration and Coordination to come up with a solution which would exclude information relating to victims and witnesses, but which would continue to provide information relating to those who have committed crimes – no matter where they may be from. rnrnThey have worked expeditiously to address this issue before the current arrangement expires – in six weeks on August 31st.rnrnBased on their assurances my concerns have been addressed.rnrnMy conditions have been met.rnrnThe City of Philadelphia will no longer provide victim and witness information to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.rnrnVictims should come forward. Witnesses should speak out. Their information will go no further. No action with regards to their status will be taken.rnrnFor the City of Philadelphia this is primarily about local law enforcement. But let me say a word about the broader issue of immigration.rnrnThis episode illustrates perfectly the need for a comprehensive, straightforward, realistic, NATIONAL reform of our immigration system. rnrnWe need to put in place a system which is fair to those from other countries who follow the rules and wait in line for the opportunity to come to America, and eventually become Americans.rnrnI have the highest possible respect for people from other countries patiently working through the process to come to the United States of America to live, work, and raise their families. rnrnI have personally attended very moving and inspirational naturalization ceremonies at which immigrants finally complete their journey and become U.S. citizens. rnrnBut we cannot and must not ignore the plight of the millions of individuals whose status here is undocumented. rnrnThere are those – who for their own political purposes – say send them all back. rnrnAs the President has said, this isn’t possible. There are an estimated 11 million undocumented people in the United States.rnrnYes we need enhanced border control. Yes we need to focus our efforts on those who pose a threat to our country.rnrnBut let’s not fall into the trap set by the Tea Party and others who would tell you that every single undocumented individual is a drug smuggler, a terrorist, or a threat to the American way of life. That is simply not true.rnrnOften they are international students who have completed their studies, or children of undocumented parents, or people who came here to work and raise a family but whose visa has expired.rnrnWe must provide a pathway to citizenship for these people for whom all they want is to live in our country, to enjoy the freedoms that we enjoy, to pursue the American dream.rnrnThis pathway should require them to recognize the responsibilities that come with being an American, and that is something that the Congress and President will work out through a national reform of our immigration system.rnrnBut this debate – and it’s an important debate with many valid points of view – needs to recognize that unless you are a Native American, ALL of us come from somewhere else to live out the American dream.rnrnThat we are a nation of immigrants is one of the defining – and most positive – characteristics of the United States of America. We celebrate our great diversity. And it is something which we MUST fight to defend.rnrnI thank the District Attorney and Municipal Court President Judge Marsha Neifield for their work and collaborative approach this issue.