Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner is under fire after saying he would “hunt down” federal immigration agents, remarks that have prompted a Republican congressman to call for a criminal investigation.
Krasner made the comments during a public appearance at Penn Square last week, where he described ICE agents as “a small bunch of wannabe Nazis.” He added, “if we have to hunt you down the way they hunted down Nazis for decades, we will find your identities.”
The comments drew immediate backlash from House Intelligence Committee member Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., who urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to review whether Krasner’s remarks violated federal law. Steube pointed to federal statutes that make threatening a federal officer a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
“The DOJ should absolutely arrest and convict this guy,” Steube said.
Krasner, who previously said he would seek to prosecute federal agents who “come to Philly to commit crimes,” has repeatedly criticized ICE enforcement actions in the city. His office has not announced any charges against federal agents.
The Justice Department did not respond to requests for comment. A White House official referred inquiries back to DOJ.
Criticism also came from within Krasner’s own party. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said the district attorney’s rhetoric was “unacceptable… abhorrent and it is wrong; period; hard-stop; end of sentence.”
Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., accused Krasner of failing to prosecute violent offenders while escalating tensions with federal law enforcement. Meuser cited reports indicating that roughly 30 percent of violent crime arrests result in prosecution.
“Every responsible Democrat must condemn this behavior. Failure to do so only increases the temperature in an already volatile situation, endangering federal law enforcement and communities alike,” Meuser said.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin called Krasner’s comments “vile,” adding that assaults against ICE agents have risen sharply. “The violence and dehumanization of these men and women who are simply enforcing the law must stop,” she said.
Krasner was first elected in 2017 with financial backing from George Soros, who contributed $1.7 million to his campaign, according to public reporting.
