Sheriff Rochelle Bilal’s warning to ICE — “You don’t want this smoke” — went viral after she condemned ICE at an 8 January press conference following the 7 January killing of Renee Nicole Good. Bilal, Philadelphia’s first Black woman sheriff elected in 2019, criticized shortened ICE training and aggressive tactics, and said she has received death threats since the video circulated. City officials clarified the separate roles of local law enforcement, while Bilal and DA Larry Krasner pledged accountability for any unlawful conduct by ICE agents and urged safe, peaceful protest.
“You Don’t Want This Smoke”: Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal’s Viral Warning to ICE
Sheriff Rochelle Bilal in her office building in center city, Philadelphia, on 13 January 2026.Photograph: Michael Gray, TML Communications.(Photograph: Michael Gray, TML Communications.)
Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal’s blunt admonition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — “You don’t want this smoke” — became a viral rallying cry after a press conference on 8 January following the 7 January shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis.
Speaking alongside District Attorney Larry Krasner and city council members, Bilal condemned ICE’s tactics and described the agency as "made-up, fake, wannabe law enforcement," arguing some of its actions violate both legal and moral standards. The remarks were offered as part of a broader critique of what she said has been an escalation in aggressive federal enforcement under the Trump administration.
Context and Reaction
Bilal, elected in 2019 as Philadelphia’s first Black woman sheriff, said the viral video prompted racially charged attacks and death threats that required an increase to her security detail. ICE publicly suggested she should resign via a Facebook post, a call she rejected: “I’m not going anywhere,” she said, adding that she answers to the people of Philadelphia and the U.S. and state constitutions.
“You don’t want to get charged, you don’t want to go to jail, and you don’t want to get convicted and have to stay in jail. That’s the smoke,”
Bilal explained the phrase as a warning about the severe consequences of criminal charges and incarceration — advice she said applies both to ICE agents and to members of the public who risk being drawn into situations that lead to arrest.
Bilal’s Background and Platform
Bilal described a decades-long commitment to advocacy and public safety. She served 27 years with the Philadelphia Police Department, was secretary of the Philadelphia NAACP chapter for more than 14 years, served as president of the Guardian Civic League and has been active with groups such as Black Cops Against Police Brutality and the National Black Police Association. Her experience, she said, informs her emphasis on fairness and accountability.
Bilal criticized what she said are shortened training periods for some federal agents, asserting that abbreviated preparation under the Trump administration contributes to inappropriate conduct in the field.
Local Officials Respond
The viral circulation of the press-conference video prompted confusion over the scope of local law-enforcement authority. On 9 January, Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel posted on X to clarify that the Philadelphia Police Department is the city’s primary law-enforcement agency responsible for patrol, criminal investigations, emergency response and enforcing state and local laws.
Bilal outlined the duties of the sheriff’s office — executing court orders, civil process, courtroom security, prisoner transport and serving warrants — and stressed that ICE should not attempt to remove people from courthouses or wear masks while conducting courthouse operations.
On 14 January, Bilal and District Attorney Krasner held a separate press conference on public safety; Krasner said ICE agents who break the law would be subject to arrest and prosecution.
Calls For Civic Action
Bilal urged residents to continue exercising their First Amendment rights while staying safe: “You got to resist because we have democracy, and we want to keep it that way. Stand up against things that are happening, but keep yourself safe — don’t let them pull you into the smoke.”
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