Mayor Michael Nutter announced Tuesday that he has "updated" his executive order that limits the city's cooperation with federal immigration agents. The news stung immigrant advocacy groups, who have been pressuring Nutter to defer any changes to incoming mayor-elect Jim Kenney.

The original order, which Nutter signed in early 2014, stated that the city would not respond to detainer requests - also known as ICE holds - from the country's federal immigration agency. The policy meant that city would no longer keep immigrants in police or prison custody at the request of federal immigration and customs enforcement (ICE).

Under the new order, the city will consider responding to an ICE hold request if: 

• The person is suspected of terrorism or espionage
• Or has been convicted of first degree felonies like murder, rape, robbery, unlawful possession of a firearms or criminal street gang activity.
• Or if the person is being released and had a prior conviction on any of these serious felonies.

Moreover, the changes will include the implementation of a 15-person review board for certain cases. He also promised to disclose all communications between the city and ICE in a monthly report to the public.

Immigrant rights advocates saw the news coming, but it came as no less of a shock. Members of New Sanctuary Movement and Juntos, a South Philadelphia-based organization that advocates for Latino immigrants, were temporarily barred from entering City Hall as a result of their protest two weeks ago against these very changes.

Police will not let @NSMPhilly or @Vamos_Juntos_ into City Hall presser on immigration due to their civil disobedience action 2 weeks ago

— Max M. Marin (@MaxMMarin) December 22, 2015

Apparently b/c everyone was tweeting, the police let @NSMPhilly and @Vamos_Juntos_ into City Hall. Bienvenidos. pic.twitter.com/kLkGsfGGwj

— Max M. Marin (@MaxMMarin) December 22, 2015

At first, Nutter said he would only take questions from the press. Before he left he took a question from Erika Almiron, the executive director of Juntos. As he moved to end the press conference, the mayor was barraged by more questions from community stakeholders. He left the room to a fusillade of disapproving remarks.

Nutter got stalled on way to door with questions, followed by "shame" on you remarks pic.twitter.com/t4w4g1fhwr

— Max M. Marin (@MaxMMarin) December 22, 2015

Representatives from the immigrant community, who viewed Nutter as an ally, said they feel betrayed by the changes to the order. They feel the PEP program is just a "repackaged" version of the controversial Secure Communities program. 

Almiron argued that it creates a dragnet for deporting undocumented persons, and it undermines the immigrant community's fragile trust in the police.

"It's three days before Christmas. What we don't understand is how you can think that this is any different from another dragnet program that in the end will impact our community," she said to Nutter.

Nutter contends that the police will not be pulling undocumented people up off the streets for minor infractions. Officer protocol will not change, he said. The only change will regard people already in custody.

Reaction from @ErikaAlmironNiz of @Vamos_Juntos_ : "This is not a merry xmas" to our community pic.twitter.com/JQOOWZCOOo

— Max M. Marin (@MaxMMarin) December 22, 2015

AL DÍA's analysis of these changes is forthcoming.