Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner issued a stark warning to Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at the city's international airport yesterday, vowing to prosecute any who commit crimes within his jurisdiction.

Krasner spoke during a press conference at Philadelphia International Airport on Tuesday, March 24, amid the deployment of ICE personnel to assist Transportation Security Administration screeners. The agents arrived as part of President Donald Trump's order to send officers to at least 14 U.S. airports, including PHL, to help manage long security lines caused by TSA staffing shortages.

The shortages stem from a partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security, now in its 40th day. DHS funding lapsed after Democrats blocked a spending bill, leaving tens of thousands of TSA workers unpaid. Over 400 officers have quit, and thousands have called out, exacerbating delays during peak spring break travel. ICE agents, funded separately by Congress, are providing support such as handing out water bottles and aiding crowd flow, without entering secure areas.

"This is how it works," Krasner said. "You commit crimes within the jurisdiction that is the city and county of Philadelphia, I prosecute you. That is how it works. No, I don’t take a phone call from the president saying, ‘Let them go.’ No, the president cannot pardon you." He added, "I’ll say it again. The president cannot pardon you. And yes, I will put you in handcuffs and I will put you in a courtroom and, if necessary, I will put you in a jail cell if you decide to make the terrazzo floor of this airport anything like what you did in the streets of Minneapolis, which involved the criminal homicide of unarmed, innocent people."

Krasner referenced a recent fatal shooting in Minneapolis during an ICE operation. He urged agents to "keep your oath" and follow the law, while claiming the deployment was harming the local economy by scaring away tourists, including Scottish soccer fans ahead of FIFA events.

This marks the second time Krasner has targeted ICE this year. In February, he called agents "wannabe Nazis" and vowed to "hunt them down" if they broke city laws.

The White House swiftly condemned Krasner's remarks. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called them "disgraceful," noting ICE agents were simply helping travelers. "If you don't like it, Larry, tell your fellow Democrats to fund DHS," a White House statement said. Vice President JD Vance declined to comment.

Democrats criticized the ICE deployment itself. Sen. Richard Blumenthal warned it would worsen delays and lead to abuses, while House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called the agents untrained for airport duties.

DHS emphasized the move was necessary due to the shutdown's impact on air travel safety. No incidents involving ICE at PHL have been reported.