Resolution 070748

..Title Calling upon the Philadelphia Police Department to begin implementing a standard operating procedure that would require all Philadelphia Police officers to conduct an immigration status check on all suspects arrested for a felony and to notify both the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office and Federal immigration authorities of the illegal immigration status of the suspect. ..Body WHEREAS, On August 4, 2007, three young college students were murdered in the city of Newark, N.J. by six suspects; and WHEREAS, One of the suspects was an illegal alien, who had previously been arrested on child molestation charges without the Federal government being notified that he was an illegal alien; and WHEREAS, On August 22, 2007, the Attorney General of New Jersey directed law enforcement officials in that state to notify Federal immigration authorities whenever someone arrested for an indictable offense; and WHEREAS, The crime and murder rates in the City of Philadelphia are steadily increasing and local citizens are demanding that crime be attacked from every possible angle; and WHEREAS, It is incumbent upon the City of Philadelphia to notify federal immigration officials when police apprehend arrest a suspect for a felony who they determine to be an illegal alien; now therefore RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That in the interest of fighting crime and promoting public safety, that the Council calls upon the Philadelphia Police Department to notify the District Attorney's Office and Federal immigration officials whenever someone arrested for a felony is determined to be an illegal immigrant. ..End