Behind the scenes of Philadelphia's justice system, a controversial alliance between District Attorney Larry Krasner and billionaire George Soros emerges, sparking accusations of preferential treatment and manipulation in the face of immigration law.
Philadelphia's Democratic District Attorney Larry Krasner, allegedly tied to billionaire George Soros, faces accusations from the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI) of reducing criminal charges against immigrants to shield them from deportation.
According to the IRLI investigation, Krasner established the Immigration Counsel, funded by taxpayers, to provide defense services to immigrants facing criminal prosecution. The investigation claims that Krasner's office systematically lowers charges for immigrant defendants, regardless of their criminal offenses, aiming to prevent them from entering removal proceedings before the United States Immigration Court.
This preferential treatment undermines the principle of equal application of justice and encroaches upon the federal government's authority to enforce immigration laws. Dale Wilcox, Executive Director of IRLI, condemned Krasner's actions as "outrageous," accusing him of diverting from the core duty of a district attorney—to prosecute crimes—and aiding immigration violators in circumventing the law.
Traditionally, when immigrants are arrested or convicted of crimes, they risk deportation from the U.S. Sanctuary cities like Philadelphia aim to obstruct this process by ensuring that criminal immigrants are not handed over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation.
The investigation alleges that Krasner's Immigration Counsel ensures that immigrant defendants facing prosecution have their charges reduced to avoid deportation. Matt O'Brien of IRLI criticized Krasner's policy as rewarding foreign nationals for criminal acts committed in the United States.
Krasner, elected in 2017 and heavily supported by Soros-linked groups such as the Philadelphia Justice and Public Safety PAC, is among several district attorneys implementing policies aiding criminal immigrants in evading deportation. Other Soros-backed district attorneys include George Gascón (Los Angeles), Kimberly Foxx (Cook County), Diana Becton (Contra Costa County), Alvin Bragg (Manhattan), and Mike Schmidt (Multnomah County).
Soros has reportedly invested over $40 million in electing far-left district attorneys nationwide, with Soros-backed district attorneys representing at least 20 percent of Americans as of 2023.