Why is Philadelphia’s DA Coddling Criminal Aliens?

May 30, 2024

IRLI report shows favoritism to non-citizens at taxpayer expense

WASHINGTON – An investigative report from the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI) has discovered that Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner is giving special treatment to alien criminals in order to help them avoid deportation.

Krasner’s office – despite being responsible for prosecuting rather than defending criminals – has hired a full-time immigration defense attorney to provide advice to alien criminal defendants, at taxpayer expense. The report is based, in part, on information obtained via a Pennsylvania Right to Know request.

As IRLI’s investigations team shows, Krasner’s office is reducing charges, no matter what crimes an alien defendant has committed, in order to shield foreign nationals from being placed in removal proceedings before the U.S. Immigration Court. This kind of favoritism undermines the criminal justice system, which should apply equally to everyone, regardless of age, race, religion, income, social position or immigration status. It also unlawfully intrudes on the federal government’s authority to enforce the Immigration and Nationality Act and administer the nation’s borders.

“Even with the current trend of soft-on-crime prosecutors turning cities into war zones, Krasner’s actions here are outrageous,” said Dale L. Wilcox, executive director and general counsel of IRLI. “He is directly contradicting the purpose of a district attorney—to prosecute crimes—and using his office to help immigration violators evade the law. Krasner’s lenient approach to law enforcement has caused enough damage to Philadelphia. The last thing the city needs is keep criminal aliens there who may have earned deportation.”    

According to Matt O’Brien, IRLI’s director of Investigations, “It is utterly shocking that any DA’s office in the United States would pursue these kinds of irresponsible policies. Essentially, DA Krasner is rewarding foreign nationals for committing crimes in the United States. And he is doing so at the expense of the city he is sworn to protect. His misguided directives are allowing violent criminals to return to the streets of Philadelphia, where they continue to prey upon U.S. citizens and immigrants alike.”

Read the full report here.