A cannonball was found buried in a Cherry Hill home’s backyard Friday morning, prompting street closures and evacuations.
The Cherry Hill Police Department responded to the 200 block of Woodstock Drive South just before noon, after residents found a very old cannonball buried in their yard, said Capt. Sheldon Bryant.
The Camden County Sheriff’s Department Bomb Unit was called in to handle the situation. The police temporarily evacuated neighboring homes and closed down surrounding streets.
Cannonballs have been discovered in New Jersey yards before.
In June 2015, an old cannonball mysteriously appeared in Madison in North Jersey, and was turned over to the U.S. Army, according to NBC New York.
A month later, a couple found what turned out to be an active cannonball while landscaping their backyard in Lower Township in Cape May County. It was later detonated in an unpopulated area, 6abc reported.
As for the Cherry Hill cannonball, it was unknown where the cannonball came from, how old it was, exactly how it was discovered, or how long it had been in the yard. The bomb unit took the cannonball for proper disposal, and the area was cleared in less than an hour, Bryant said. Streets were open soon afterward.
“We treat every situation like this with care and caution to ensure the safety of our residents,” Bryant said. “We are thankful for the swift response of the Camden County Sheriff’s Department Bomb Unit and for the cooperation of the neighborhood while we worked to resolve this safely.”
A statue of Harriet Tubman will debut at City Hall this fall, and the city is seeking a quote from a Philadelphian that explains the famed abolitionist’s impact in 2026.
The initiative is called “In Harriet’s Footsteps,” and Philadelphians have until March 1 to submit an original quote, answering the prompt: “What does it mean to walk in Harriet Tubman’s footsteps today?”
The Philadelphia Art Commission approved the design of a Tubman statue by sculptor Alvin Pettit in 2024. Two of Tubman’s quotes are set to be featured at the bottom of the statue. But Creative Philadelphia, the city’s office of arts and culture, wants to include a third one made by a resident.
“Alvin Pettit’s design, A Higher Power: The Call of a Freedom Fighter, will depict Harriet Tubman during her time serving in the military, commemorating her strength, resolve, and legacy as a soldier,” said Val Gay, chief cultural officer and executive director of Creative Philadelphia. “Now, it will also reflect a Philadelphian who is inspired by her leadership.”
But there are some rules.
Folks applying must live or work in Philly. And the original quote cannot have over 250 characters (about two sentences). Paraphrasing Tubman quotes does not count as original work, Creative Philadelphia warned.
The ideal quote, organizers said, will connect the past and the present in a reflection of Tubman’s impact on future generations. Pettit offered an example: “She carved a path with a lantern of defiance for today’s society to walk in that light, bolder, freer, and forever indebted to the hands that first dared.”
All voices are welcome so long as the quote is “clear, memorable, and insightful,” Creative Philadelphia said in a news release.
The answers to the demographic questions will not affect the decision of which quote to use, Creative Philadelphia said, but are meant to measure the agency’s reach.
A committee of artists, city employees, and a Philadelphia-based writer will review applications in search of a top 10. That list of quotes will be shared through a public survey, so Philly residents can vote for a winner.
The winning quote will go on the back of the pedestal, with Tubman’s quotes “And I prayed to God to make me strong and able to fight” and “For no man should take me alive; I should fight for my liberty as long as my strength lasted” featured on the other sides.
The winning quote will not be attributed to the applicant, but rather to “a Philadelphia citizen,” Creative Philadelphia said. And the writer will need to sign a waiver forfeiting future claims of ownership. But the writer’s name will appear on the statue’s credit panel.
About 40 people were arrested after an activist group Thursday evening conducted a demonstration inside a Target store in South Philadelphia to demand that the company take a public stand against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions at the chain’s stores.
More than 100 demonstrators affiliated with No ICE Philly chanted “ICE out of Target now!” and played instruments inside the store near Snyder Avenue and I-95. Some shoppers joined the chanting.
Shortly before 6 p.m., the protesters were given their first warning by police to leave or be arrested. Dozens then left, but a group of 40 or so remained inside, seated on the floor. Around 6:15 p.m., police began making arrests without incident. Three remaining protesters were given citations and allowed to leave, police said.
The zip-tied detainees were led by police out of the store one by one to cheers from other protesters outside.
The demonstration and subsequent arrests did not deter shoppers from going about their business, entering and leaving the store.
A man dressed in a bear costume and wearing an action camera harnessed to his chest showed up and yelled at the activists inside the store, calling them “weirdos.” Police intervened to prevent an escalation.
Rabbi Linda Holtzman, 73, (right) a spokesperson for No ICE Philly, addresses the crowd during a demonstration inside a Target store in South Philadelphia, Feb. 5, 2026.
Benita Dixon, 66, accompanied by her granddaughter, was at the store to buy a Valentine’s Day present for her daughter when the protest broke out.
Dixon’s first reaction was to get a tighter grip on her granddaughter’s hand, but when chanting began, the pair joined in dancing with protesters.
“ICE has been going around killing people in Minnesota, and that’s not right,” Dixon said. “Many of my co-workers are coming into work carrying their passports because they are scared, so I’m glad we are protesting: No ICE in our streets.”
Across the country, protesters — including employees of the company — have been calling for Target to publicly oppose the federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota, the company’s home state, and deny ICE agents who do not have judicial warrants access to Target stores and parking lots.
Demonstrators from No ICE Philly protesting inside the Target store.
“Target does not have cooperative agreements with any immigration enforcement agency,” a company executive said in a memo to employees on Jan. 22, Business Insider reported.
A day after two ICE agents fatally shot 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, where Target is headquartered, then-incoming CEO Michael Fiddelke cosigned a joint statement from the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce with dozens of other executives, “calling for an immediate de-escalation of tensions and for state, local and federal officials to work together to find real solutions.”
Pretti’s Jan. 24 killing in Minneapolis was the second in less than a month. On Jan. 7, an ICE agent fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good.
A Target spokesperson said in an email that Fiddelke also sent a note to employees saying “the violence and loss of life in our community is incredibly painful” and that “we are doing everything we can to manage what’s in our control, always keeping the safety of our team and guests our top priority.”
Target, founded in 1962, operates 1,989 stores across the United States and generates net revenue of more than $100 billion annually.
The company was hit with a national boycott last year after it rolled back Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives to fall in line with the policies of President Donald Trump.
No ICE Philly has led demonstrations against the agency and against the arrests of immigrants outside the city Criminal Justice Center.
Demonstrators from No ICE Philly protesting inside the store.
At the Target in South Philadelphia, Rabbi Linda Holtzman, 73, said the in-store protest is what people must do when neighbors are under attack.
“What ICE is doing, what they have been doing, is horrible, and we stand with the people of Minneapolis,” Holtzman said.
Protesting at the South Philadelphia Target is a way to tell the company that it must stand on the side of the people, Holtzman said.
“Target has become an ally to ICE, letting them come into their stores without a warrant,” Holtzman said. “That’s not the America I grew up in. Is that the country you want?”
Brace yourself for the cold, Philadelphians, because the first double-digit snowfall in 10 years is potentially heading our way, followed by sub-freezing temperatures that could last the rest of the month.
Since nowhere is safe from the cold, here are some tips on how to keep yourself from freezing and your property from damage (no burst pipes in sight):
Staying indoors is the best way to keep frostbite and hypothermia at bay, but some must brave the temperature for work, other needs, or emergencies, as even waiting for the bus can take longer if SEPTA experiences storm-related service delays.
With temperatures forecast in the teens and lower 20s, it is important to keep an eye on your core temperature.
When you rapidly lose heat or stay wet for too long, it can cause hypothermia, even indoors. This can affect your brain and body, causing slurred speech, confusion, clumsiness, and extreme tiredness.
Continued exposure to the cold can cause frostbite, as blood stops reaching your fingers, nose, ears, and extremities properly. You can get frostbite even under winter clothing, and it can lead to losing the affected body parts. If you start feeling tingling, numbness, or your skin looks gray or pale, head indoors.
Frostbite can happen without hypothermia symptoms, and vice versa. Children, older adults, and people with circulation issues are especially at risk
To prevent both afflictions, stay dry, covered, and layered up, keeping your skin from being exposed.
Four out of five warming centers reached capacity on Thursday, but the city plans to open more and add beds as needed.
The warming centers remain open at select libraries from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. And shelter beds have been added under the Code Blue declaration.
Some recreation centers will also serve as warming centers from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. Find the selected libraries and recreation centers closest to you on the city’s interactive map of warming centers.
Folks in need of a warm place can go to their local police precinct to be transported to the nearest warming center.
Broken bones and head trauma are no fun. Stay grounded by wearing footwear with enough traction (no sneakers or dress shoes), or traction cleats.
You can’t control the city roads, but salting your sidewalk properly can help avoid starting your day on the ground, or worse, in the emergency room. As you walk, make sure to lean slightly forward and take shorter steps. You may look like a penguin, but it’s worth it to avoid the pain and medical bills.
Much like your body, your home also loses heat in the cold, putting pipes at risk for freezing and bursting. Disconnecting garden hoses and shutting off the valve that feeds them, and keeping faucets slightly open and running can prevent expensive repairs.
Pipes will begin to freeze when a thermostat is at 39 degrees and lower. Maintaining the thermostat at 50 degrees or above is ideal.
Though they won’t burst, cars get cold too, reducing battery power and creating a risk of being left stranded, especially if the battery is older than two or three years.
Be ready to jump-start your car. Jumper cables and a portable jumper pack can be helpful. Remember, red clamps to the positive post of the dead battery; black clamps to the negative post of the working battery and to the unpainted metal surface on the engine of the dead car.
Delicate snowflakes painted Philadelphia white Sunday morning, leaving icy roads and sidewalks to shovel. The storm will also leave behind a cold holiday.
“We have only seen round one; round two is on its way,” said Paul Fitzsimmons, a lead meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly.
Through Sunday, Fitzsimmons predicted a total of 2 to 4 inches of snow, with the second wave of flurries picking up after 1 p.m., possibly mixing with rain after 2 p.m.
Rain is not certain, but there is a 70% chance of showers, according to the National Weather Service. Couple that with a cloudy day, winds around 5 mph, and temperatures in the mid-30s (35 degrees being the warmest Philly will see today), and drivers are in for some hazy driving conditions.
“Roads are icy today: People should exercise extra caution, leave extra time to leave wherever they are going, and drive slower than normal,” Fitzsimmons said.
The weather prompted PennDot to advise drivers to avoid unnecessary travel. Commercial vehicles must stay in the right lane, PennDot said.
Stick to the speed limit even if the roads seem treated, because at the moment, PennDot’s main goal is to only keep them passable, not completely free of ice and snow, the department said.
PennDot’s crews will continue to treat roads throughout the day, but there is a slight chance of more snow coming before 8 p.m., with temperatures dropping as low as 20 degrees, and a 20% chance of rain, according to the weather service.
David Bond, of West Chester, walks his dog, Todd, in the snow at Okehocking Preserve in Newtown Square on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Monday arrives a bit sunnier, and with no snow, yet colder than Sunday, Fitzsimmons said.
Skies are expected to be fully clear, with a low of 14 and a high of 35 degrees. Do be mindful of the wind, as the National Weather Service expects gusts as high as 20 mph by Monday night.
That low would be the lowest of the season so far, with an even lower 10 degrees forecast for Tuesday.
“It’s going to be cold overall, so bundle up,” Fitzsimmons said.
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For Brian Lovenduski and J. Bazzel, the week after Christmas turned into horror when a pit bull in Center City attacked their beloved dogs. Now that the canine is in custody, they can’t help but feel a bittersweet sense of solace.
“I feel relieved that the dog is not a danger to other people on the streets, but I have mixed feelings that the authorities didn’t work faster,” Lovenduski said.
Between Dec. 26 and 31, three dogs and two owners were attacked by a pit bull in Center City, leaving behind thousands in veterinary bills and GoFundMe pages asking for help.
Lovenduski’s miniature pinscher, Ziggy, lost a leg after a pit bull lunged at him at 12th and Chestnut Streets. And, Stella, Bazzel’s sheltie pup, required surgery, a plate, and a skin graft to piece her crushed foreleg together, after being attacked at Juniper and Chestnut Streets.
It that intersection where police located the pit bull and her owner, whom they believed to be a homeless woman, on Jan. 6.
Stella, an 11-month-old sheltie, seen here recovering from surgery after she was attacked by a pitbull Dec. 26 in Center City. Police believe the pitbull is responsible for three recent attacks.
Miguel Torres, a spokesperson for the Philadelphia Police Department, said the woman was arrested for an unrelated matter he would not disclose. So far, no charges have been filed in connection with the dog attacks, Torres said.
The pit bull was transported to ACCT for evaluation. She has not been euthanized, but is not a candidate for adoption, said Sarah Barnett, ACCT Philly executive director.
All incidents remain under investigation, police said.
Both Lovenduski and Bazzel were told the pit bull responsible for their dogs’ attacks was in custody at ACCT.
“It’s bittersweet. We have a dog that is not in a great situation, which creates situations for other dogs and other people. I’m relieved, but I’m not happy it had to come to that,” Bazzel said.
Stella, an 11-month-old sheltie, seen here recovering from surgery after she was attacked by a pit bull Dec. 26 in Center City. Police believe the pit bull is responsible for three recent attacks.
Regardless, his full focus is on his 11-month-old puppy, Stella, who is working on her recovery and getting ready for her first birthday on Jan. 23.
Looking at Ziggy, Lovenduski feels like he may be heartbroken forever, but he is pulling strength from seeing his little guy trying to keep going.
“He is this innocent little creature that relies on me for his safety, and this horrible thing happened that changed his life forever,” Lovenduski said. “I never expected to be in this situation, but the kindness of people has really reminded me that even when it feels like the world is rotten, kindness wins among the lost.”
Ziggy, a miniature pinscher, was attacked by a pit bull while being walked by owner, Brian Lovenduski on Dec. 29, 2025. It was one of three known attacks by the pit bull.
Demonstrators swept onto the streets of Philadelphia and cities across the country on Saturday to vent anger and sadness over the ICE killing of an unarmed woman motorist in Minneapolis.
Protests over the fatal Wednesday shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good were taking place or being planned in hundreds of places, from small towns to major cities in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Texas, Florida, California, New York, and elsewhere.
Organizers intend to hold rallies on Sunday in Trenton, Abington, Cherry Hill, Ardmore, Ambler, and other communities, the breadth of the protests signaling the scope of resistance to President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda. Leading civil rights groups have called for people to step up and support the ICE Out for Good Weekend of Action.
“What happened in Minneapolis is unforgivable,” said Vicki Miller, a leader of Indivisible Philadelphia, who gathered with others at City Hall on Saturday morning.
In Philadelphia the day began in a cold, steady rain, with about a hundred people at City Hall chanting, “No fear, no hate, no ICE in our state.”
Trump administration officials insist the agent who shot Good three times had fired out of self-defense, saying he was about to be run over, and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem described the incident as “an act of domestic terrorism.”
Many gather to show their support for Renee Good and to protest against ICE in Philadelphia, Pa., on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026.
Trump has undertaken an unprecedented campaign to arrest and deport millions of immigrants, an effort that’s included sending ICE and federal troops into blue American cities.
An estimated 2,000 federal agents have surged into Minnesota, following similar deployments in Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, Memphis, and elsewhere. Somehow Philadelphia has gone untouched, despite its history of feuding with Trump.
On Friday night, a 1,000-person protest outside of a Minneapolis hotel turned violent as demonstrators threw ice, snow, and rocks at officers, according to Minneapolis police.
At Philadelphia City Hall, Miller called on residents to protect one another from the Trump administration.
“An authoritarian wants us to feel alone. We are showing that we are not alone,” she said. “We are happy to be here for our neighbors; we are here to protect them.”
By 10:30 a.m., the crowd began moving down Market Street, meeting up with another demonstration near federal properties around Seventh and Arch Streets, and growing in size to about 500 people.
Tiffanie Knott, of Rittenhouse, holding a sign reading “Melt ICE” as she marches with many others to protest against ICE in Philadelphia, Pa., on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026.
School psychologist Michele Messer, 51, came from Camden with her students in mind.
“Our immigrant students are impacted and it will have a long-lasting effect in their education,” said the member of grassroots group Cooper River Indivisible. “We need to show up so they know we love them; we hear them, and we will be here for you until this is over.”
Jim Greway, 77, said he was protesting for those who couldn’t be present, whose immigration status or race made them fearful of speaking out.
“People who look different than me are being told they don’t belong here and will never succeed in this country,” said Greway, who is white. “I’m here to say that’s not true.”
A couple in their late 70s marched down Market Street holding hands, chanting with the crowd for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be shut down.
“We have good friends that are afraid to leave their house, so to us this is personal,” explained Lori Chewkanes.
Her husband, Michael Chewkanes, said that ICE actions in Minneapolis made the couple feel like their patriotism was being stolen.
“As a veteran, it makes me sick to my stomach,” he said. “[ICE] should be protecting the people, not hurting them. This should have never happened.”
Madeline Forrest, 20, of Camden, handed out copies of a poem she wrote that condemned ICE. As she did so, MAGA supporter Patrick Labrie, also 20, approached to talk about why he supported the agency, including the shooting by the officer in Minnesota.
“From the clips, it seemed like he was in a lot of danger, so it seems like he did everything he could to protect himself,” Labrie said.
Labrie continued to defend the officer’s actions, later attempting to interrupt the chants of the crowd.
Forrest thought Labrie was deliberating trying to attract attention to draw more watchers on social media. She tried to engage him again, but was unable do so as police moved in to safeguard him from the crowd.
Several hundred people gathered Thursday evening in Center City to protest the death of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three whom a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis shot and killed on Wednesday.
Good, who had recently moved to Minnesota, died a few blocks from where she lived, and about a mile from where police killed George Floyd in 2020.
Protesters near City Hall held candles and signs saying, “We saw the video. Stop the cover up!” and “ICE raids violate Philly values.”
“We arrive at tonight’s vigil with deep anger and grief for the murder of Renee Good at the hands of the state,” Erika Guadalupe Núñez, Juntos executive director, told the crowd. “ICE equals death; it’s the death of family, of connection, of love.”
Núñez said the actions in Minneapolis reflect a reality Philadelphia has experienced with the mistreatment of legal aid organizations and immigrant associations at the hands of immigration agents.
“Let us be honest, if ICE was willing to shoot an ally, a white woman, in the face for documenting abuse. It is our duty to expose and condemn what they have done and will continue to do to Black and brown people behind closed doors and out of the sight of cameras,” Núñez said.
Video taken by bystanders in Minneapolis posted to social media shows an officer approaching Good’s car from the driver’s side, grabbing the door handle and reaching inside the vehicle. When the Honda Pilot begins to move, a different ICE officer who had positioned himself in front of the SUV immediately fires into the vehicle at close range.
The Department of Homeland Security said the officer fired in self-defense as Good allegedly tried to run down officers with her vehicle. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said video of the incident showed the shooting was reckless and unnecessary.
The fatal shooting of Good was at least the fifth death to result from the aggressive U.S. immigration crackdown President Donald Trump’s administration launched last year.
The federal agency has been escalating immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota by deploying an anticipated 2,000 agents and officers.
An ex-husband of Good’s, who asked not to be named out of concern for the safety of their children, told the Associated Press that Good had just dropped off her 6-year-old son at school Wednesday and was driving home with her current partner when they encountered a group of ICE agents on a snowy street in Minneapolis, where they had moved last year from Kansas City, Mo.
At the Center City protest, Julie Stewart, 71, said a wave of shock took over her body after learning an ICE agent had killed a woman she didn’t know, in a different state, and the pain felt close to home.
The feeling brought her to the vigil holding a sign reading: “ICE murdered Renee Nicole Good.”
“They are twisting the story; it’s a lie. ICE needs to be shut down, held accountable, and all of their people need to be unmasked,” Stewart said.
Aniqa Raihan told the crowd the names of the people who have died in connection with ICE need to be remembered.
Raihan, a No ICE Philly volunteer, named more than 30 victims, Good being the latest.
“We are here to remember these beloved community members, whether we know their names or not. We are here to mourn, to grieve, to lean on one another, and to know that we are not alone in the anger and pain we are feeling,” Raihan said.
Addressing elected officials present in the crowd, she said: “We can’t wait. If you don’t act, Renee Good will not be the last person murdered with impunity. If you don’t act, it will happen here. If you don’t act, ICE will continue to kidnap and disappear members of our community every day.”
While the protest was underway, several men identifying themselves as members of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense and armed with rifles walked down Broad Street toward City Hall and stopped at John F. Kennedy Boulevard.
Several armed men who identified themselves as the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, including Paul Birdsong, stood outside a protest at City Hall against an ICE shooting in Minneapolis.
They said they came to protect the protesters.
“I’m here because it’s my duty,” said a man identifying himself as Paul Birdsong, 39, while holding his firearm tightly.
Birdsong said the group’s members were legally carrying their firearms and they viewed themselves as “guards of the revolution.”
“To ICE, we will respond with whatever force is use on the people,” Birdsong said.
Police closely monitored the Black Panther members and reported no problems.
El Carnaval de Puebla, one of the biggest yearly celebrations of Mexican culture in Philadelphia and on the East Coast, is not returning in 2026.
For the second year in a row, the current immigration policies have overshadowed the festival that commemorates the Battle of Puebla traditionally celebrated on May 5, but not for the reasons one might expect.
“We are not scared of ICE; it is not fear that drives us,” said Edgar Ramirez, founder of Philatinos Radio and a committee member for San Mateo Carnavalero. “Many of the people who attend the carnival are second or third generation, but we are living at a time where the feeling of rejection is palpable, and it is not a suitable environment.”
A group of children dress up for the 2019 Carnaval de Puebla.
El Carnaval de Puebla has been a long-standing tradition for the city since 2005, stopping only during the pandemic, the first year of Donald Trump’s presidency in 2017, and last year following his reelection, as concerns for attracting immigration enforcement actions arose.
Since Trump’s reelection, the number of immigrants in federal detention facilities has increased beyond 65,000, a two-thirds increase since he took office last January.
Such uncertainty over when ICE might strike puts festival attendees at risk, making it harder to find sponsors and generate enough revenue to pay for city permits and requirements to hold the event, said committee member Olga Renteria.
“It’s hard to ask people to invest when there is no certainty that the carnival will be able to drive the success of previous years,” said Renteria, who noted that over 15,000 people attended the carnival in 2024. “The carnival is about family, sharing, drinking, enjoying yourself, and right now, any excuse is good enough to arrest someone; one incident is enough.”
For the community, this feels like a loss of space, both literally and figuratively.
A group of Carnavaleros march on Broad Street during the 2019 Carnaval de Puebla.
Longtime carnival attendee Alma Romero looked forward to seeing people in traditional attire, dancing andparading on Washington Avenue, triggering memories of her home in Puebla once a year.
“The carnival would have been good to lift our spirits, just as the Day of the Dead celebrations did,” Romero said, referring to the Ninth Street Corridor festivities in November that commemorate loved ones who passed away. “Without it, it feels like a sense of pride and unity is missing; now we just carry it in our hearts.”
After having attended the parade at all 19 past El Carnaval de Pueblaevents in Philly, Karina Sanchez, too, feels that sense of loss.
“I understand it’s important for the community to feel safe, but it’s sad to see us shrinking ourselves,” Sanchez said. “When that sentimentgrows, it is not a loss just for us, but for Philadelphia as a whole.”
Currently, there are no plans to replace El Carnaval de Puebla, but there is hope among many for a return.
“We have to come back,” Ramirez said. “We must because we are part of this city too, and things have to get better at some point.”
The parade that included horses arrives at the 18th annual El Carnaval de Puebla at Sacks Playground on Washington Avenue on April 30, 2023. El Carnaval de Puebla falls on Mexico’s “Day of the Children” and is one of the city’s biggest celebrations of Mexican culture. The celebration featured a parade, traditional games, food, live music and dancing.
Venezuelans in the Philadelphia region had mixed reactions to the U.S. strike against their home country over the weekend, which removed Nicolás Maduro from power and left the future of the South American country unclear.
But some Ukrainian Americans in the region felt an uneasy sense of déjà vu as they watched events in Venezuela unfold — and are concerned about what it could mean for relatives and compatriots 6,000 miles away from Caracas, in Ukraine.
“This action, which is an illegal action, gives the light to people like [Russian President Vladimir Putin] and other dictators to do whatever they like,” Ukrainian American activist Mary Kalyna said Sunday amid a 60-person anti-war rally outside the Unitarian Society of Germantown in West Mount Airy. “Why should he not invade Ukraine or Poland or Lithuania, when the U.S. is invading Venezuela?”
The Trump administration’s unilateral action sends a message to other countries, like Russia, that the United States may no oppose a larger nation meddling in a smaller country’s political affairs, said Paula Holoviak, a political science professor at Kutztown University, in an interview.
“It just doesn’t set a good precedent,” said Holoviak, who is a Ukrainian American.
‘We have been waiting for this for 26 years’
Venezuelan flag in hand, Diana Corao Uribe, 53, and her family drove from Media to the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul to attend a Sunday vigil for the future of Venezuela, organized by local groups Casa de Venezuela Philadelphia, Casa de Venezuela Delaware, and Gente de Venezuela Philadelphia.
Hundreds of people hugged, cried, and prayed as they waited inside with flags and apparel, brightening the basilica with yellow, red, and blue. Members of the crowd were largely critical of the rule of Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chávez.
“We have been waiting for this for 26 years; you cannot imagine the feeling, the joy, the happiness, the hope that we feel right now,” Corao Uribe said.
But Corao Uribe said that as the hours passed, her feelings have grown more complicated. Until President Donald Trump announced the U.S.’s intentions to “run” Venezuela until a “safe, proper and judicious transition” could be completed, Corao Uribe had hoped Edmundo González Urrutia, who faced Maduro at the polls in the 2024 Venezuelan presidential election, would become the next president.
The announcement was unexpected and a bit concerning, she said, but it wasn’t enough to shake her sense of happiness.
Philadelphia resident Astrid Da Silva, 32, said it felt bittersweet.
“The amount of joy that seeing the dictator out of Venezuela brings — it’s immeasurable; it’s normal when there has been torture and pain for so long,” Da Silva said. “But without a democratic transition of power, fear starts slipping in.”
Hearing Trump say that opposition leader Maria Corina Machado lacked support in Venezuela clouded her feelings.
“People don’t want the U.S. there; we want the opposition or at least a free election,” Da Silva said, adding that the country’s political turmoil forced her to emigrate to the U.S. at age 7.
Ongoing power struggles have at times made her feel like people view Venezuela as a pawn, forgetting there are real lives at stake, she said.
‘It could be very destabilizing’
The U.S. has a long history of intervening in other countries, Holoviak noted, but that hasn’t always gone well. “We do have an extremely powerful military, but we might not want the aftermath of this,” Holoviak said. “It could be very destabilizing.”
Residents of Northwest Philadelphia voice their opposition to the Trump administration’s strike against Venezuela in a vigil outside the Unitarian Society of Germantown on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026.
Ukrainian leaders have largely welcomed the liberation of Venezuelans from Russian-allied Maduro’s regime. Speaking with reporters in Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, “Well, what can I say? If dictators can be dealt with in this way, then the United States of America knows what it should do next.”
Eugene Luciw, a Ukrainian American who lives in Montgomery County, said in an interview that he interpreted Zelensky’s comments to mean that he believes the U.S. should arrest Putin — and Luciw agrees.
Luciw said that he has no problem with Trump removing Maduro, whom he called “a dictator who slaughters people.”
However, Luciw questioned Trump’s motives and said his actions were inconsistent.
“If we want to do away with a real dictator, with absolute evidence that he’s a genocidal maniac,” then the U.S. should be tougher on Putin, he said.
At the Cathedral Basilica, Fernando Torres, 45, said he has struggled with what the future may hold for Venezuela after Trump’s actions.
“Even if we don’t like Trump, we have to separate things. It’s like if you were drowning and someone threw you a life buoy,” Torres said. “You don’t care who threw it or what their intentions were; you just care about saving your life. What people don’t understand is that Venezuelans needed their life buoy and now for the first time we have hope.”
As political decision-making continues to unfold, Corao Uribe, Da Silva, and Torres agree on one thing: the importance of listening to what Venezuelans want for their future.
“Venezuelans have suffered for so long, don’t try to understand our pain; this isn’t about politics, it’s about the suffering of the Venezuelan people,” Corao Uribe said.
This article contains information from the Associated Press.
