Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner’s “Hunt ICE Agents” Rhetoric Escalates Division As Critics Decry Soft-On-Crime Policies

Wednesday, January 28, 2026, 5:30 P.M. ET. 4 Minute Read, By Jennifer Hodges, Political Editor: Englebrook Independent News,

PHILADELPHIA, PA.- Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner drew sharp national attention on Tuesday, not for prosecuting violent criminals, but for openly threatening federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and escalating rhetoric critics say dangerously undermines the rule of law.

     Speaking at a gathering outside Philadelphia City Hall on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, Krasner labeled ICE agents “a small bunch of wannabe Nazis” and vowed to prosecute and “hunt” them for alleged constitutional violations, even after President Donald Trump leaves office.

     “We outnumber them,” Krasner declared before an energized crowd. “As long as we stick to our values, protect our rights, make it very clear that homicide is not okay just because you are a federal officer… If we have to hunt you down the way they hunted down Nazis for decades, we will find your identities. We will find you. We will achieve justice.”

The remarks came as Krasner joined progressive Philadelphia City Council members in unveiling a legislative package branded “ICE OUT,” a slate of proposals designed to severely restrict federal immigration enforcement within city limits. The measures would bar ICE from city property, prohibit local cooperation with federal immigration authorities, and limit the sharing of information unless mandated by a warrant.

     Critics from law enforcement, legal circles, and political leaders across Pennsylvania immediately condemned Krasner’s comments as inflammatory, reckless, and unbecoming of a chief prosecutor sworn to uphold the law.

A Soros-Backed Prosecutor Embracing Extremist Rhetoric;

     Krasner, a George Soros-backed progressive prosecutor, has long cultivated a national profile as an ideological reformer. Since taking office in 2018, his tenure has been defined by policies aimed at reducing incarceration, eliminating cash bail for many offenses, and declining prosecution of a wide range of crimes.

     Supporters frame these policies as “criminal justice reform.” Critics argue they have instead produced a city where violent offenders, repeat criminals, and sex offenders routinely return to the streets with minimal consequences.

     Republican lawmakers and public safety advocates argue Krasner’s rhetoric toward ICE agents reflects the same radical worldview that has allowed Philadelphia’s public safety crisis to fester unchecked. 

Soft-On-Crime Policies And Public Safety Fallout;

     Under Krasner’s leadership, critics say Philadelphia has experienced years of deteriorating public safety, highlighted by persistently high homicide totals, firearm offenses, and brazen repeat offenders cycling through the justice system.

     Numerous cases have drawn scrutiny, including violent offenders released on low or no bail who later committed additional crimes, sometimes fatal. Critics argue that Krasner’s office routinely seeks reduced charges, avoids mandatory minimums, and declines to appeal questionable bail decisions, even in cases involving violent felonies.

     State lawmakers have previously responded by attempting to strip portions of the district attorney’s authority, granting concurrent jurisdiction to the Pennsylvania Attorney General over certain categories of crime, a rare rebuke of a local prosecutor.

Open-Air Drug Markets And Neighborhood Decay;

     Beyond violent crime, residents and community leaders have repeatedly raised alarms over persistent open-air drug markets that continue to plague sections of Philadelphia.

     Entire neighborhoods have been overtaken by narcotics trafficking, public drug use, and associated violence, while residents report feeling abandoned by city leadership. Critics argue that Krasner’s unwillingness to aggressively prosecute drug dealers and traffickers has allowed these conditions to become normalized.

     While crime statistics fluctuate nationally, opponents maintain that Krasner’s ideological prosecutorial discretion has worsened conditions on the ground, leaving law-abiding citizens, particularly in working-class neighborhoods, to shoulder the consequences.

Rhetoric That Divides, Not Heals;

     Krasner has framed his remarks as a defense of constitutional rights against federal overreach. However, his decision to invoke Nazi comparisons, historically reserved for one of the most brutal regimes in human history, has drawn widespread condemnation.

     Legal experts warn that a district attorney publicly threatening federal agents risks eroding inter-agency cooperation and further politicizing the justice system.

     For many Philadelphians, the concern is simple: while the city grapples with violent crime, drug trafficking, and declining public trust, the district attorney appears more focused on ideological crusades than restoring safety and order.

     As critics bluntly put it, Philadelphia does not need a prosecutor threatening federal agents; it needs one willing to prosecute criminals.

Editor’s Note:

This article, written by Jennifer Hodges, Political Editor, reflects a fact-based examination of Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner’s public statements and prosecutorial record. All quotations and event descriptions are supported by contemporaneous reporting as of January 28, 2026. Englebrook Independent News remains committed to evidence-driven journalism and public accountability across all levels of government.