🙋 Are You Really From Philly?

Immigration courts in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware issued 46,000 orders for removal and voluntary deportation from January 2025 to this past June. That's more than under the entire Biden administration.

• Reflecting national trends. Nationwide the government is deporting dramatically more people than in years past. Graphs depicting deportation numbers show that while deportations had gone up under former President Biden, they skyrocketed during President Trump's second term. [🔐 The Inquirer]
• Among those detained is Philly drag queen Chantal Waldorf, whose arrest has drawn community pushback. [Advocate]
• The practice affects due process. Local immigration attorneys say the courts' alignment with the federal government emphasizes speed over process, resulting in the violation of people’s rights. Unlike judges in the judicial branch, considered "neutral arbiters," immigration judges are executive branch employees.
• It isn't normal. Immigration attorneys also say that instead of getting 30 to 60 days to prepare for a case, some detention and deportation matters have to be adjudicated within two weeks. While 44% of court cases under Biden ended with deportation orders, so far under Trump more than 85% have. It doesn't help that only 24% of people facing deportation cases in our region have a lawyer, the lowest since 2017.
• It's not just people with criminal histories. ICE officers are being pressured to detain everyone they come into contact with. Across the U.S., 31% of individuals facing deportation are already detained.

SEPTA's TV Debut

You've probably watched SVU or CSI; now, watch SEPTA. A UK-based production company has teamed up with the transit police to create a 10-episode series scheduled to come out on A&E next year. How many turnstile-jumpers and smokers will the cameras catch? [Philly Voice]

More ‘Smart’ Loading Zones Begin Operating Today

Since the program began last year, the loading zones have sped traffic by 32% along Chestnut Street and brought in millions of dollars in revenue for the PPA. Today the automated fee system expands to 30 additional blocks in Center City. [🎧 City Cast Philly, 🔐 The Inquirer]

Upper Merion Rejects Data Center Plan

The Upper Merion Township Board of Supervisors' unanimous rejection may please the 18,000 people who signed a petition against the data center, but it doesn't end there. Brian O'Neill, the developer, has another facility proposed in Plymouth Township and could file for an appeal. [🔐 The Inquirer]

• We've talked about proposed data centers' potential impact on the region — including on our utility bills in Philly. [🎧 City Cast Philly]

Women's Sports Big Moment in Philly

When four local women started Sisters Sports Group in 2020 to help build women's sports across the country, they didn't think it would bring a WNBA team to the city or attract Unrivaled Basketball, the 3-on-3 basketball tournament, to Philly. Given record-breaking attendance for Unrivaled, and the city's sports hype, Philadelphians can’t wait to embrace our new WNBA team in 2030. [Philly Mag]

• We've covered this women's sports renaissance on the pod! [🎧 City Cast Philly]

First, No A.C. Then, Asbestos?

Students at Kensington High school will start school in a different building after HVAC crews flagged an "issue involving asbestos." The currently vacant Austin-Meehan Middle School will host the students until January. [NBC 10]