Pa. lawmakers detail bill to route ICE complaints to Human Relations Commission
House Democrats: We will not stand by while rights are ignored
Rep. Abigail Salisbury January 22, 2026 | 3:51 PM
HARRISBURG, Jan. 22 – Four Pennsylvania House Democrats are introducing legislation to empower the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission to receive and document complaints from the public regarding civil-liberties violations by federal ICE agents and law enforcement agencies working with ICE.
State Reps. Paul Friel, Greg Scott, Abigail Salisbury and Joe Hohenstein circulated a co-sponsorship memorandum today outlining their plan to protect residents and hold ICE accountable in Pennsylvania.
“This is a failure of leadership at the highest level,” said Friel, D-Chester. “These raids are not making our communities safer, nor do they seem designed to accomplish that goal. The tactics employed by ICE officials are proving to be inhumane, ineffective and unconstitutional. We must hold accountable those who violate both their duty to the constitution and the rights of our community members.”
The memo highlights a troubling rise in hostile and unlawful actions under the guise of “immigration enforcement,” citing examples from Minneapolis, Chicago, Los Angeles, and other cities where ICE has overstepped its authority.
“The actions we’ve seen from ICE agents nationwide are traumatizing,” said Scott, D-Montgomery. “They’re horrific, and the federal administration’s refusal to acknowledge that is alarming. Residents witnessing civil-liberties violations currently have no clear way to report these incidents safely. This legislation would create a transparent, secure process to hold ICE agents accountable and empower residents to formally call out violations.”
Although the federal government claims its efforts target the “worst of the worst,” data show that only 5% of detainees have a violent criminal conviction, while 73% have no conviction at all. ICE is also increasingly using racial profiling in its raids, further violating civil liberties.
“I have 30 years of experience in the immigration system -- before ICE even existed,” said Hohenstein, D-Philadelphia. “I have never seen civil immigration laws enforced with such reckless disregard for public safety. ICE’s paramilitary tactics must be reined in and made accountable.”
“People living in our commonwealth should be free from unauthorized government actions that threaten their safety and civil liberties,” said Salisbury, D-Allegheny. “Unfortunately, reports of masked ICE agents targeting communities grow daily. By authorizing the PHRC to receive and document complaints and refer them to the state Attorney General, we can bring greater transparency and accountability to these actions.
“We are also advancing legislation to ban ICE agents from wearing masks to conceal their identities, further promoting transparency and protecting residents.”