Philadelphia officials including the city’s District Attorney Larry Krasner gathered Wednesday to discuss public safety strategies concerning ICE activities in the region and beyond, and promised to hold federal agents accountable for any breaches of the law.
Krasner amplified a local NBC News article in which he is quoted as saying: “We will arrest you. We will handcuff you. We will close those cuffs. We will put you in a cell. We will set your bail and I’m going to ask for it to be appropriately high.”
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche replied to Krasner: “Go ahead and try,” adding a clown emoji.
Go ahead and try
https://t.co/uicHfgGh1o — Todd Blanche (@DAGToddBlanche) January 16, 2026
Krasner said at a press conference held at Salt and Light Church on Wednesday: “This is ultimately about good versus evil. That’s what it is. It’s about good versus evil.” He added, in a reference to a woman killed last week by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, “Renee Nicole Good is just part of that good and she is up against evil.”
Philadelphia City Councilmember Rue Landau echoed Krasner at the event and said: “ICE do not come to Philadelphia. If you’re already here, don’t even think about descending on Philadelphia.” She added, “We will protect folks around here. We have a coalition that is ready for you.”
[Note: On Tuesday, at the Detroit Economic Club, President Trump threatened to halt federal money to “sanctuary cities” like Philadelphia beginning February 1 — though previous efforts by Trump to cut off funding for sanctuary jurisdictions have been hindered by courts. In April, a federal judge in California barred the administration from withholding, freezing, or conditioning the use of federal funds to “sanctuary” jurisdictions including San Francisco, saying that portions of Trump’s executive orders were unconstitutional.]