WHEREAS, Ongoing calls at a federal level to nationalize elections, strip states and counties of their rights to administer elections, and pass legislation detrimental to voting rights in this country have caused great concern among Philadelphians about the security of local elections and their safety exercising their constitutional right to vote; and
WHEREAS, Amid yet another government shutdown due to the 119th Congress’s inability to pass a fiscally responsible budget, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been deployed to airports and transit hubs throughout the United States for no clear reason or stated purpose, causing travelers much distress and exacerbating delays; and
WHEREAS, Despite the Department of Homeland Security stating that the agency does not plan on deploying ICE agents to polling locations during the midterms, immense skepticism among elected leaders, residents, and advocates remains due to historic distrust in the current administration and recent deployments to airports and other civic spaces like courthouses; and
WHEREAS, The potential presence of ICE agents at polling locations represents an unequivocal risk to the orderly operations of Philadelphia county’s midterm elections and an existential threat to voter confidence and personal safety; and
WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia, as the birthplace of American democracy and administrators of elections, reserve a right and have a higher responsibility to ensure civil liberties such as freedom of speech, assembly, petition and the right to vote, are protected; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby authorizes the Committee on Legislative Oversight to hold hearings on the City and Philadelphia county’s plan to preserve election integrity, voter confidence and participation, and public safety on Election Day especially amid worries of the federal government’s potential deployment of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement to polling locations.
End