For Immediate Release
DHS Press Office
Contact: 202-282-8010
I would like to thank the City of Philadelphia for their agreement to work with our new Priority Enforcement Program. This agreement is good for the public safety of the City of Philadelphia. It will prevent dangerous, removable criminals from being released to the streets.
The new Priority Enforcement Program, or “PEP,” replaces the controversial Secure Communities program, which the President and I ended last year. PEP is a common-sense approach to our immigration system, focusing our limited resources on removing convicted criminals and others who pose a threat to public safety. With PEP, we continue to make significant progress in re-building partnerships with local law enforcement and community leaders. We anticipate that additional jurisdictions will agree to work with PEP in the coming weeks and months.
The bottom line is this: we know that mayors, city councils, county governments, police chiefs and sheriffs all share the same goal as we do: keeping their communities safe. I look forward to continuing to work with the City of Philadelphia as it implements the Executive Order and other communities across the country toward this common goal.
###