Philadelphia County’s scandal-plagued sheriff’s disgusting, anti-ICE press conference has officially backfired after the city’s own police commissioner provided a valuable education lesson for her in a stunning statement.
As The Gateway Pundit reported, Philadelphia County Sheriff Rochelle Bilal unleashed a blistering attack on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Thursday, branding the federal agency “fake, made-up law enforcement” and threatening that any ICE agents who set foot in her jurisdiction will face arrest and prosecution.
Sheriff Bilal, who has faced numerous controversies during her tenure, didn’t mince words on Thursday.
Perhaps the most disturbing part of the Sheriff’s tirade was the direct threat of physical confrontation against federal officers. Bilal warned that her office would not hesitate to use force or legal action against agents performing their constitutionally mandated duties.
Bilal made sure to praise Philadelphia’s Marxist District Attorney Larry Krasner, a man whose “decarceration” policies have seen crime skyrocket in the City of Brotherly Love.
According to Bilal, the DA’s office is fully prepared to “lock up” federal agents who attempt to deport criminal illegal aliens from the city.
“You don’t want this smoke, because we will bring it to you!” Bilal said.
Hours following Bilal’s grandstanding, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel issued a stinging statement that reminded her of the real purpose of her job. It turns out she evidently thought she possessed authority that she did not have.
Btehel then concluded by reaffirming that the Philadelphia police will work in cooperation with all law enforcement officials, including those from ICE.
How embarrassing for Sheriff Bilal, but even more embarrassing for the people who elected her.
Here is Bethel’s complete statement:
Over the past 24 hours, Philadelphia Police Department offices have been inundated with calls and emails from across the country and around the world, which makes it necessary to clear up some confusion about law enforcement authority in the City of Philadelphia.
Let me be clear: the City of Philadelphia is policed by the Philadelphia Police Department, not the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office. The Philadelphia Police Department is the City’s primary law enforcement agency. Our primary officers are responsible for citywide patrol, criminal investigations, emergency response, and the enforcement of state and local laws. I serve as Police Commissioner by appointment of the Mayor of Philadelphia and operate within the City’s executive structure.
The Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office is a separate entity, led by an elected official — currently Sheriff Rochelle Bilal — with a mission that includes court security, the service of legal process, prisoner transport, fugitive apprehension, and sheriff’s sales. It does not police the City of Philadelphia, conduct criminal investigations, nor does it in any way direct municipal policing.
The Philadelphia Police Department will continue to work professionally with all of our law enforcement partners. But clear lines of authority and accurate public representation of those roles are essential to maintaining public trust and effective public safety operations.
— Kevin J. Bethel (@PPDCommish) January 9, 2026
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