Centrist-minded Pennsylvania governor now at center of politically charged ICE enforcement debate

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a possible 2028 presidential candidate, has carefully crafted an image as a centrist in his Democratic Party that has recently shown signs of moving further to the left.

At issue is whether the Pennsylvania state police should keep contributing data to a law enforcement database used for ICE roundups – which has put him in the hot seat between Republicans and Democrats. 

Republican members of Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation, including Reps. Mike Kelly and Ryan Mackenzie, sent a formal letter urging Shapiro to maintain the state’s participation in the International Justice & Public Safety Network, formerly Nlets, a national law-enforcement data-sharing system. 

The lawmakers argued that access to this system is critical for public safety and police communication, and that withdrawing or restricting that access could hinder efforts to track criminal activity and coordinate law enforcement across jurisdictions.

“Nlets works to connect local law enforcement with federal agencies. As the federal government cracks down on illegal immigration and crime in cities nationwide, including right here in Pennsylvania, it’s imperative that our local and federal agencies have the ability to work together quickly and efficiently,” Kelly said in a statement.

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a moderate, also signed the letter.

“As a former law enforcement professional and FBI agent, I know that investigations succeed or fail in real time, based on timely and accurate information,” he said.

“Nlets provides the data that officers depend on every day in the field. Limiting access would slow apprehensions, disrupt multi-agency investigations, and needlessly increase risk to officer safety and the public, without any public-safety benefits. This would be a step backward for law enforcement and a risk Pennsylvania should not take."

Meanwhile, a broad coalition of about 100 businesses, congregations, nonprofits, and immigrant-rights advocacy groups sent a letter to Shapiro pushing for Pennsylvania to end all cooperation with ICE. 

The coalition demands that the governor use his executive authority to protect immigrant communities by enacting several policy changes. 

The changes the group is calling for include ending state database access for ICE without judicial warrants, stopping enforcement of ICE detainers by state agencies as well as limiting immigration arrests in state facilities without court orders.

It is unclear if Shaprio has responded to either letter yet. 

Immigrant rights groups also held a rally recently in Philadelphia to call on Shapiro to end all cooperation with ICE. 

“We want Governor Shapiro to use his executive power to stop state collaboration with ICE and to protect our constitutional rights, including the right to due process,” said Tammy Murphy, public policy and advocacy manager at Make the Road PA, according to WHYY. 

The matter follows Zohran Mamdami, a democrat-socialist and Democratic Party member who is critical of ICE, being elected in November as New York City mayor. 

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and progressives such as New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who have strongly criticized ICE, appear to be among the politicians who have most energized the Democratic Party, according to recent polling. However, in November, Mikey Sherill in New Jersey and Abigal Spanberger in Virginia won their respective gubernatorial races as moderates.