As many of us know, on November 5th the Senate voted 60-39 against the Vitter-Bennett amendment which would’ve required proof of citizenship and discouraged undocumented immigrants from completing the census forms in order to be counted. This was certainly a victory for the immigrant community and advocates for immigration reform in the country.

Following the defeat of the Vitter-Bennett amendment, Philadelphia Mayor Nutter wants to make sure everyone in the city of Philadelphia feels safe when filling out their forms. This is why today, he has stepped up and signed an executive order that prohibits any city employee – including the police department – to ask anyone about their immigration status.

Not only will this allow the immigrant community in Philadelphia to fill out census forms without fear, but it will also instill a new sense of trust on the police. This is especially important after the enactment of the Secure Communities program in Philadelphia, which allows police officers to inquire about a person’s immigration status.

We, at Dreamactivist.org, want to thank Mayor Nutter for supporting the immigrant community in the city of Philadelphia and for realizing that they are a critical part of our society.

If you want to read the executive order, please follow this link, and scroll to the bottom of the page.