Unionized staff at Warwick Hotel Rittenhouse Square Philadelphia have reached a deal with hotel management for a new labor contract, avoiding a strike that would have begun Friday.
The hotel workers unanimously ratified an agreement that will deliver a $30 minimum wage by 2028, easier access to healthcare for their children, pension increases, and new regulations protecting immigrant workers, union officials said Thursday. It covers 50 union workers, including housekeepers.
It’s the latest win for union hotel workers in Center City pushing for a pay and benefits package their union, Unite Here Local 274, calls “the citywide standard.”
“Last year, people thought it was crazy that hotel housekeepers could make $30 an hour,” said union President Rosslyn Wuchinich at an event Thursday supporting union Peco employees, who are planning a work stoppage for July 4.
The hotel union has shown it will go on strike to achieve its goals, Wuchinich said.
The nearby Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown has been on strike since June 21. On Wednesday, some of its striking workers paraded around the Warwick, playing drums and singing union songs — giving Warwick management a sense of what could be in store.
“We have been fighting these greedy hotel companies, private equity companies, real estate investment trusts, since last year for justice for hotel workers,” Wuchinich told a crowd of union members Thursday.
New York-based Bluesky Hospitality Solutions, which manages the hotel, did not respond to requests for comment Thursday. Property owner Navika Capital could not be reached.
The contract expires in January 2028, according to Mat Wranovics, an organizer with Unite Here Local 274. In addition to the changes to wages and benefits, the contract lowers the maximum number of hotel rooms that housekeeping workers can clean per shift from 16 rooms to 15 rooms, he said.
The contract also includes protections for immigrant workers, Wranovics said. The new rules set limits to how much information the employer may share information with law enforcement.
Six unionized Center City hotels have now bargained similar contracts:
The Warwick Hotel Rittenhouse Square Philadelphia
Hilton Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing
Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District
Sonesta Philadelphia Rittenhouse Square
Sheraton Philadelphia University City Hotel
Hampton Inn Philadelphia Center City-Convention Center
That leaves the striking Sheraton Downtown workers, as well as those at Hilton Garden Inn Center City, who are not on strike and continue to work under an expired contract. Both are pushing for a similar wage raise to $30 an hour, Wranovics said.
“We are in negotiations, but there is a real possibility of strike there,” he said of the Hilton Garden Inn Center City.
In tricorn hats and tail coats, their locs, microbraids, and wavy tresses gathered into 18th-century low ponytails, 27 Philadelphia-area high school students transformed into America’s Founding Fathers on Wednesday evening at the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts.
The young thespians debated and deliberated the benefits of forming a sovereign nation. Their well-practiced Southern accents and New England inflections echoed in the full auditorium.
In 2½ hours, Massachusetts congressman John Adams (played by Jackson Preisser), Ben Franklin (Jayden Duvene), and Thomas Jefferson (Maxwell Henderson) made the case for liberty, overcoming the petty aristocratic concerns of Pennsylvania delegate John Dickinson (Greg Rist).
Former Mayor Ed Rendell meets cast members (L-R) Abigail Adams (played by Chloe Chau), John Dickinson (played by Greg Rist) and Ben Franklin (played by Jayden Duvene) during opening night of 1776: The Musical at the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.
On a set that looked remarkably like Independence Hall, the students staged the Tony Award-winning 1969 Broadway musical1776 and argued for and against liberty with witty songs and sophisticated dialogue.
The reenactment of the signing of the Declaration of Independence was everything Ed Rendell, the elder statesman and the brain behind the production, wanted it to be.
“It’s been my dream for quite some time to see this production happen,” Rendell said to The Inquirer, his voice a raspy whisper, worn and weary from Parkinson’s disease. Sitting in his wheelchair at the red, white, and blue step and repeat, Rendell smiled as CAPA’s lobby was turned into a dining room for dignitaries hours before the play began.
“In honor of America’s 250th birthday, we wanted to use 1776 to teach high school students the sacrifices and compromises it took to form this great nation,” he said.
Rendell’s love for 1776 is rooted to the night in 1969 when he watched the colonial drama unfold on Broadway, starring William Daniels as John Adams, Ken Howard as Thomas Jefferson, and Howard da Silva as Benjamin Franklin. Daniels, Howard, and da Silva starred in the 1971 Oscar-nominated film of the same name.
“I loved it,” Rendell said, whose favorite ballads from the play are Franklin, Adams, and Jefferson’s quirky performance of “The Egg,” in which the forefathers humorously choose the bald eagle as America’s national bird. (That didn’t really happen during the Second Continental Congress, but it’s a nice touch.)
Another of Rendell’s favorite songs is “Is Anybody There?,” a melancholy number during which Adams asks himself if his dedication to the cause of independence is worth it.
“It struck the right chord, giving all the facts about how we came to our freedom, our independence,” Rendell said. “When I became mayor, I went back and studied it and began to think of it as an important civics lesson. There were so many things I didn’t even know.”
A former president, a mayor, a speaker walk into a play
The 1776 opening night saw the attendance of a who’s who in Philadelphia politics, business, and civics.
Former President Joe Biden was in the house on the opening night of Rendell’s theatrical milestone. After he was presented with a copy of the declaration signed by the cast, the former president delivered a nine-minute speech about the importance of teaching American history in present-day America, although he did not mention President Donald Trump by name.
“What I can tell you is that from the moment the Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence, we have been in a consistent battle for the soul of the nation,” Biden said as guests prepared to dig into barbecued chicken, brisket, and ribs, Rendell’s favorite.
Former President Joe Biden displays a signed poster from the cast as former Mayor Ed Rendell looks on during the opening night celebration of 1776: The Musical at the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.
“Even when there is darkness,” Biden said, “we’ve summoned our angels and crawled back from the brink. We are trying to do that now.”
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D., Philadelphia), and State Rep. Joe Ciresi (D., Montgomery) were also in attendance. Philadelphia School Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr.; Temple University president John Fry; and David L. Cohen, the former senior executive vice president to Comcast and U.S. ambassador to Canada, were on hand, too.
“When Mr. Rendell calls, people come out,” said Adrian R. King, a partner at Philadelphia-based law firm Ballard Spahr and a former Rendell staffer.
Their attendance reflected their respect for Rendell, a former governor of Pennsylvania and mayor of Philadelphia who, in his political heyday in the 1990s, led the efforts to reimagine South Broad Street as the now-bustling Avenue of the Arts. CAPA’s 1997 opening was a part of that plan.
John Adams (played by Jackson Preisser, middle) and John Dickinson (played by Greg Rist, right) are seperated during a scene from the opening night of 1776: The Musical at the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.
Rendell’s baby
Rendell has dreamed of this production for years. He began working on it in earnest last year, bringing on veteran Philadelphia arts administrator Karen Corbin to executive produce. Phillip Sean Brown, director of theater at Bryn Mawr’s Shipley School, was roped in to direct.
“The governor had very specific ideas of what he wanted,” Brown said. “He wanted to show the history of our country, show the drama of the birth of a nation, and have the students learn everything they could about the craft of theater.”
The first order of business was securing the rights to the late composer Sherman Edwards’ script and music. That will cost about $45,000 by the end of the run, Corbin said.
Casting began in February and auditions began in March. Forty actors from eight area high schools were picked for the multicultural, gender-fluid rotating cast, giving the revival of the 57-year-old production Hamilton vibes.
In addition, Brown said, more than 30 students were hired as musicians and production crew.
Cast members posed with guests before opening night of 1776: The Musical at the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.
“They worked with professionals in theater lighting, costume, sound, and props,” Brown said.
Students were paid $150 a week during rehearsal weeks, and will make $300 a week through the eight-week performance. The entire production cost $850,000 including a $150,000 grant from the state.
There will be 50 shows through Aug. 15 at CAPA. Actors will also perform vignettes of the musical throughout Philadelphia’s historic district, including Carpenters Hall.
‘All good things take compromise’
Students’ exposure to the arts and history has been priceless.
“This experience represents striving forward — as an actor with my cast,“ said Mason Daly, a CAPA graduating senior whose biting Southern accent for South Carolina congressman and segregationist Edward Rutledge was chilling.
Daly’s role as Rutledge is particularly eye-opening. 1776 tells us that Jefferson’s original draft of the declaration included a clause abolishing slavery in America. Rutledge, however, would support America only if that part of the declaration were struck.
Jefferson laments to Franklin, saying, “Mark me, Franklin … if we give in on this issue, posterity will never forgive us.” But he does give in.
“Playing him, I learned to value the nuances of the perspectives of even those we disagree with,” Daly said.
“It’s about his personal compromises to get to the yea vote that allowed independence to go forward. That dialogue, that discussion, that back-and-forth between him and the various colonial representatives is the basis of our democracy and government.”
Former Mayor Ed Rendell during opening night of 1776: The Musical at the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.
The actors’ parents bubbled with excitement.
“My child is really being taken seriously as an actor in this production,” said Justina Barrett, chief learning and engagement officer at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and mother to Sage Wentz, who played Col. Thomas McKean of Delaware. “This whole play is about the messy business of making the United States. It was hard. These guys weren’t nice. It wasn’t pretty. In many ways, we are divided then as we are now.”
Although difficult, this idea of forming a new nation through compromise is what Rendell hopes is the ultimate lesson for all involved.
“We can’t get anything done without compromise,” Rendell said. “We have to get back to a government that is working toward the good of the government. The Civil Rights Act took compromise. Women’s rights took compromise. All good things take compromise.”
“1776″ will be performed at CAPA, 901 S. Broad St., through Aug. 15. Tickets start at $11. For more information, go to the Celebrating 1776! website.
On the eve of the 2026 NHL draft, Inquirer Flyers reporter Jackie Spiegel hopped on r/Flyers to answer some fan questions in a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) Thursday afternoon. Topics included everything from who the team will select on Friday night to whether or not general manager Danny Brière will make a splashy trade or free agent signing. Here are some highlights …
(Questions and answers have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.)
Q. Who is your No. 1 choice for the Flyers’ pick at 21, and do you see anyone being worth moving up a few spots for if a reasonable deal is possible? For example, moving up to secure someone like Alexander Command.
A. My No. 1 choice at No. 21 would be Command, if he is there. Like Shane Vansaghi last year, he oozes Flyer, and he feels a connection to the team and the fan base. Ilia Morozov and Jack Hextall are also strong candidates at center, as is Maddox Dagenais, who projects more as a wing but can play down the middle. If going the defense route, I wouldn’t be against Tommy Bleyl, who will now be linking up with Matthew Gard at Michigan State in 2027.
Q. What are the chances the Flyers pick Xavier Villenueve if he’s available? … I think he’s a player you should take a swing on because his upside is just so high.
A. Villeneuve is quite small, height- and weight-wise, and there are serious question marks about his competitive level and defensive awareness. Now, assistant GM Brent Flahr did say that a small blueliner has to be dynamic, and there is no question that he is the most dynamic defenseman in this draft class. He will get a lot of coaching at Boston University, where Lane Hutson, to whom he compares his game, went. But from what I’ve heard in my conversations around hockey, I don’t know if he’s a first-rounder. If he is there in the second round, I think it may be a no-brainer, but not in the first.
Q. Is there any sense at all that Flahr’s position might be in question with the organization?
A. I don’t believe so. Are there miscues and missteps? Sure, but it happens to a lot of teams. Thirteen other teams passed on Cole Caufield in addition to the Flyers, and working with Danny Brière, they have restocked the cupboard, especially at center.
Something else to keep in mind, whenever looking at drafts in general, according to a study done by DobberProspects back in 2020, approximately 60 NHL players from a draft class make it to the NHL, which is less than 27%. Since Flahr has been at the helm, 50 players have been drafted. Not counting the 16 players from the last two draft classes, although Porter Martone and Jett Luchanko have played NHL games, 44% have played at least one NHL game. I’m not defending him at all, but that is a pretty good number with seven total coming from the 2022 and 2023 classes, which are just starting to break into the league as a whole.
Q. Due to the crazy sellers’ market lately, why is Brière not doing everything he can to sell obvious pieces like Rasmus Ristolainen and Owen Tippett? Does he think these players will be winning us a Cup before they retire?
A. Good question! Keith Jones told me in 2024: “I can assure you that if there is something that’s happening, it’s going to be highly unlikely that anybody knows about it.”
I think we’ve seen that, so my gut feeling is patience. Also, I do think Ristolainen is getting moved. Brière has held firm on getting a No. 1 pick for guys like Scott Walker and Scott Laughton, and I believe he is holding firm here. Why wasn’t he traded earlier, you may ask? As previously reported, teams wanted to make sure he was healthy. That’s been proved, and now there is a lot of trade chatter. As for Tippett, I know the haul would be huge, especially with what we’ve seen of late, but trading him takes a ton of speed out of the lineup, and the Flyers need that.
Flyers goaltender Dan Vladař stops Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin’s shootout attempt.
Q. Will Danny make a move that will shock the fan base?
A. It wouldn’t surprise me. There have been a few, no? I remember sitting watching a game in January 2024 — couldn’t even tell you off the top of my head who the Flyers were playing that night — and getting the shocking news about the Jamie Drysdale-Cutter Gauthier trade. I do think it’ll be an interesting few days coming up.
Q. Are the Flyers in on Alexander Nikishin? If not, then why?
A. Are they peeking in? Sure, but I don’t believe they are all in, and I doubt Carolina would trade him to a division rival.
A fire involving a process unit pump, a device that moves fluids, broke out Thursday morning inside the Monroe Energy refinery in Trainer, Delaware County, according to the company.
At least one person suffered burn injuries in the fire, which began about 11:30 a.m., county spokesperson Michael Connolly said. The individual had to be airlifted to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital; their condition remained unclear. Monroe later confirmed it was an employee who suffered non-life-threatening injuries that were treated off-site. The county later said two other people experienced heat-stress-related injuries, which were not expected to be critical.
“Our understanding is that it’s contained to a small location and is under control,” Connolly said.
Local police and fire could not immediately be reached for details regarding the blaze and how many people were in the facility when the fire broke out, but the large black plumes rising from the refinery raised alarm among area residents.
“As of now all we know is that there is a fire at the refinery all personnel are working on locating the fire and extinguishing it!!” read a Facebook post by the Trainer Borough Police Department from around noon.
Amid the chaos, at least one individual sought guidance on how to reach out to someone working inside in the comments of the post.
Just last week, the refinery stopped its two 100,000-barrels-per-day crude-oil distilleries because of a leak, though a Delta Air Lines spokesperson — the airline owns the refinery and uses much of it to produce jet fuel — said there was no danger to the public.
Connolly said it was unclear if the leak was connected to the fire, directing questions to Monroe.
The company, which employs about 500 workers, did not say whether the leak played a role.
“Our on-site Fire Response Team was immediately activated, deploying multiple emergency response resources, including fire and foam tanker vehicles, mobile deluge guns, and stationary high flow firewater suppression systems,” a company statement said.
The company said air monitoring showed there was no current risk to the community.
Police said air quality was at a “nuisance level” and it was recommended for people up to half a mile from the refinery to shelter in place. The county lifted the order at 3:15 p.m.
“The specific cause of the incident will be investigated,” the company said.
Philadelphia and its surrounding counties are set for what could be a record-breaking $322 million in federal and state funding to go toward building new trails segments, say trail advocates.
The money is part of a larger $8.2 billion pool of transportation funding updated through the federal Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for 2027 and spread over four years.
“We consider this to be potentially record breaking,” said Patrick Monahan, vice chair of the Circuit Trails Coalition in Pennsylvania. “It’s proof that the trails are being treated as essential infrastructure, making it safer and easier to walk and bike in the region.”
Pennsylvania gets its TIP plan updated every two years and the majorityof money goes to highways, bus and rail systems, trolleys, and ferries. It is part of an agreed-upon list of priority transportation projects. That list includes 344 projects.
In all, this year’s proposed $322 million in funding for trails would advance 27 bike and pedestrian projects across Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties.
The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) is set to vote on approving the allocations in July.
The trails, either begun or being planned, are part of the Circuit Trails, a network of hundreds of miles of multiuse trails throughout the Philadelphia region including southern New Jersey, which updates its TIP funding in alternate years.
$11 millionfor the second phase to extend the Schuylkill Banks trail in Philadelphia south from near 61st Street to Passyunk Avenue that would include a new park at the base of the Passyunk Avenue Bridge.
$58.5 million for Philadelphia’s Spring Garden Connector project that would link trail systems along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers and make Spring Garden Street safer for cyclists and pedestrians.
$50 million to improve safety for roadway users, including pedestrians and cyclists, on PA 291 from Irving Street to Ridley Creek. The project includes building a multiuse side path that will be designated as part of the East Coast Greenway, a trail system linking Maine to Florida.
$8.5 million for the Chester Valley Trail, a multiuse trail along the alignment of the former Philadelphia and Thorndale Branch, a former freight train route, including renovation of the Whitford Bridge and Downingtown TrestleBridge for bicycle and pedestrian use.
$10 million to develop a segment in Whitemarsh Township, Montgomery County, that would run from the existing Wissahickon Trail in Fort Washington State Park to the existing Cross County Trail near SEPTA’s Fort Washington Station.
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court cleared the way Thursday for the Trump administration to potentially revive an immigration policy once used to turn back migrants seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border.
The justices, in a 6-3 decision, overturned a lower court order blocking the practice that limited the number of people who could apply for asylum each day, first under the Obama administration and then expanded during President Donald Trump’s first term.
Advocates said the tactic created a humanitarian crisis as thousands of people settled in unsafe makeshift shelters to await their turn. The Trump administration said it was necessary to deal with an increase of asylum seekers at the border.
The policy is not in place now, though authorities have imposed other restrictions on asylum seekers. The Department of Homeland Security did not say if they plan to revive it, but applauded the ruling. “This decision opens up an important tool to continue securing our southern border,” said James Percival, the agency’s general counsel.
The administration argued that metering is a critical tool that’s been used by presidents of both parties and should stay available. Federal attorneys say people turned away at the border could come back later, though lines were thousands of people long when the policy was in place before.
The case is one of several immigration suits the court is considering this term, including Trump’s push to end restrict birthright citizenship. The high court also allowed his administration to end deportation for migrants fleeing instability and armed conflict on Thursday.
Under federal law, migrants who arrive in the U.S. must be able to apply for asylum and be screened for fear of persecution in their home countries.
The Justice Department argued that people stopped by authorities haven’t arrived in the country, so immigration agents don’t have to let them apply.
The court’s conservative majority agreed. “A guest does not arrive in a house when he knocks on the front door,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote.
But attorneys for people seeking asylum say the law has long meant anyone arriving at a port of entry should be screened, and blocking arrivals disregards the nation’s ideals.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented from the bench, saying that the majority’s opinion “regrettably and tragically extinguishes the light of the torch of the Statue of Liberty.”
In an unusual exchange, Alito voiced a response after she finished speaking. He expressed surprise that she had read her dissent out loud and defended his opinion by pointing out that the policy had been used during two presidential administrations. “I won’t add anything more to that,” Alito said.
Metering was first used under President Barack Obama when large numbers of Haitians appeared at the main crossing to San Diego from Tijuana, Mexico. It was expanded to all border crossings from Mexico during Trump’s first term in the White House.
It ended in 2020 when the government introduced greater restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic, and President Joe Biden formally rescinded it in 2021.
The same year, a California-based federal judge found that metering violated the asylum seekers’ rights and the law requiring screening. A divided appeals court panel affirmed the ruling but nearly half of judges on the full San Francisco-based court voted to rehear it, a strong signal that might have caught the attention of the Supreme Court.
Attorneys with the group Democracy Forward first brought the case, and condemned Thursday’s ruling. “We are disappointed in the Court’s decision and call on all Americans to demand that our government protect the families the Court today decided to keep in harm’s way,” said President and CEO Skye Perryman.
They represented the group Al Otro Lado, whose executive director said the decision would mean a “hardening of borders to keep out the most vulnerable,” that is “sure to result in many more lives lost.”
U.S. law allows people seeking refuge to apply for asylum once they are on American soil, regardless of whether they came legally. To qualify for asylum, they must show a fear of persecution in their homeland for specific reasons, like race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion.
People who are eventually granted asylum can’t be deported. They can legally work, bring in immediate family, apply for legal residency and seek citizenship.
Over the last several weeks, Philadelphia has become a hub of World Cup activity. Folks are packing bars, some of which are open until 4 a.m., for watch parties, hosting rallies on the Art Museum steps, and making their way to South Philly for a match at Philadelphia Stadium or to Lemon Hill for FIFA Fan Fest.
Most of that excitement has revolved around the nations and players descending on the city for games. But now, as the U.S. men’s national soccer team was to play its final group stage game on Thursday, against Turkey outside Los Angeles, the Hershey Co. has brought another World Cup experience to the city, one that focuses on USMNT star and Hershey, Pa., native Christian Pulisic.
A family waits in line to participate in the final soccer station at the Hershey’s Soccerland pop-up event at Dilworth Park on Thursday.
On Thursday, the candy company based in Hershey unveiled its Soccerland at Dilworth Park next to City Hall, a celebration of all things Pulisic.
“Hershey Soccerland represents our efforts to really support Christian Pulisic as he’s on the biggest world stage for the World Cup,” said Hershey senior brand manager Katrina Vatter. “He’s a Hershey native. So we want him to know that no matter the fact that he’s playing on the world’s biggest stage, we are here to have his back.”
With the smell of chocolate in the air, the pop-up event features a three-hole golf circuit played by kicking a ball, giving fans a chance to score limited-edition Hershey’s Pulisic’s bars that feature custom wrappers with his printed signature, as well as a “Pulisic’s Playground” T-shirt.
There’s also a paint-by-numbers station, allowing fans to contribute to a mural of ChocolateTown’s hero.
“No matter where soccer has taken me, my story started in Hershey,” Pulisic said in a press release. “Growing up there shaped who I am, and knowing that support is always behind me gives me a sense of comfort and confidence wherever I play. Being able to celebrate that connection with Hershey’s means a lot to me.”
An Ivory Coast fan kicks a soccer ball on the second station of the pop-up event at Dilworth Park, outside City Hall on Thursday.
“Philly is right in the neck of the woods from Hershey, about an hour away,” Vatter said. “So we thought it was a great way to rally the state of Pennsylvania to continue to support Hershey’s and really show everybody what Christian’s hometown is all about.”
Soccerland is open until 6 p.m. on Thursday and continues Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the Trump administration to end legal protections for migrants fleeing violence and natural disaster in Haiti and Syria, exposing hundreds of thousands more people to potential deportation.
It marked another victory at the high court for Republican President Donald Trump’s sweeping crackdown on immigration. Though the conservative-dominated court has put the brakes on some of Trump’s immigration policies over the last year, it handed him a second win Thursday in a decision clearing the way for the revival of a policy restricting immigrants seeking asylum.
The court’s conservative majority found that immigration authorities have sole authority over the program, and the law doesn’t allow judges to intervene.
The majority opinion from Justice Samuel Alito also brushed aside arguments that derogatory comments from Trump about Haitians showed the decision was unlawfully tinged by prejudice. He called the statements “insufficient to show that the termination of Haiti’s TPS designation was based on the race of the Haitian people.”
Justice Elena Kagan forcefully disagreed, calling Trump’s comments “so repellent and racially inflected that the majority declines to put them in print.” She pointed out that Trump had said Haitians in the U.S. “probably have AIDS,” and he also amplified false rumors during the 2024 campaign that Haitian immigrants in Ohio were abducting and eating dogs and cats.
Lawyers said Haitian immigrants would be in serious danger if they are sent back. “Simply put, the Supreme Court’s ruling will directly result in thousands of innocent people dying violent, needless deaths,” Geoff Pipoly and Andy Tauber said.
They urged the Senate to approve an extension of deportation protections for Haitians that’ passed the House on a rare bipartisan vote in April.
“Families are here, kids are going to school, parents are going into work, folks are trying to commute, and it’s like the Supreme Court just put all those activities on stop and put folks in limbo,” said Viles Dorsainvil, who runs a support center for Haitians in Springfield, Ohio.
Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, called the “a devastating betrayal of Haitian families who have lived, worked, and contributed to this country for years — only to be cast out based on anti-Black immigration sentiment.”
Haitians with TPS are also a key part of the workforce in long-term care facilities. “This would be a dreadful loss for all seniors in our community,” said Rita Siebenaler, a resident at Goodwin Living, a senior living community in Virginia.
The Justice Department appealed to the Supreme Court after judges postponed the end of the program for about 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians. The high court sided with the administration before and allowed the end of the program for people from Venezuela.
Federal authorities deny prejudice played a role. They also cited a Supreme Court decision from Trump’s first term that rejected bias claims based on his social media posts and upheld a travel ban on several Muslim-majority countries.
James Percival, DHS general counsel, applauded Thursday’s ruling. He said the program had, in many cases, become “de facto amnesty. This is a win for the rule of law and common sense.”
Since Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, Homeland Security has ended the protections, including some that had been in place for more than a decade, for people from 13 countries.
The terminations were made even though countries such as Haiti and Syria remain dangerous, immigration lawyers said. Four Haitian women who were deported from the United States in February were found beheaded and dumped in a river several months later, lawyers said in court documents.
The United States first granted protections to Haitians in 2010 after a catastrophic earthquake and extended them multiple times amid ongoing gang violence that has displaced more than a million people, according to court documents.
Syrians were first granted protected status in 2012, during a civil war that lasted for more than a decade before the fall of President Bashar Assad’s government in late 2024.
“Today, many of our community members they feel lost,” Farrah AlKhorfan of Immigrants Act Now said about Syrian immigrants losing TPS protections. “They are trying to understand … what this decision means for them and how it will be implemented and how much time they will have to prepare for what comes next.”
The program was created by Congress in 1990 to prevent deportations to countries suffering from natural disasters, civil strife and other instability. It allows people already in the country to stay with work permits in increments of up to 18 months, but it does not provide a path to citizenship.
The day before the 2026 NBA draft, Labaron Philon Jr., recalled the “special moment” when he told his Alabama team that he would return for his sophomore season.
His Crimson Tide teammates and coaches wanted him back, of course. And Philon “put my career in their hands,” he said, “and really trusted they were going to get me better every day.”
Philon went from a defensive disruptor and guard who complemented former star Mark Sears as a freshman, to Alabama’s bona fide best player and leader as a sophomore. His production numbers organically jumped, but also were a product of deliberately focusing on improving as a three-point shooter (31.5% to 39.9%) and playmaker (3.8 assists to 5 per game) after receiving that feedback from NBA teams.
“That was the only thing we focused on,” Philon said, “… me just getting better.”
That work turned Philon into a first-round pick whom the Sixers were thrilled to nab at 22nd overall Tuesday night. Now, Philon’s professional work begins. That includes applying the adaptability he believes is one of his “biggest traits,” and will be particularly useful when joining a backcourt already featuring Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
“I describe it as making the game easy for everybody around you,” Philon said Thursday morning from the Sixers’ facility. “… Being able to play ‘advantage basketball’ and being able to just stay on the right page and be focused within the team and not yourself. That’s something they taught me back at Alabama, and I carried it a long way.
“Being able to keep playing that way and not changing now, I feel like is really important.”
Sixers first-round draft pick Labaron Philon Jr. will slot into a dynamic backcourt led by Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
It was fitting that some of the first Sixers representatives that Philon spoke to on draft night were his new backcourt-mates. Philon said Thursday that he is eager to learn from Edgecombe, who made an instant impact in his first NBA season and finished third on an excellent Rookie of the Year ballot. And Maxey began his NBA journey in a similar spot as Philon, as the 21st pick in the 2020 draft who initially played behind Ben Simmons and then morphed into an All-NBA third-teamer.
“It’s definitely just getting to that level,” Philon said, “being able to compete every day with those guys is definitely going to be special.”
Maxey and Edgecombe also were among the NBA’s leaders in minutes played last season, meaning Philon could immediately provide beneficial rest through the 82-game marathon if he can play on and off the ball.
Philon in college used his shiftiness to get into the paint — and footwork to keep his options open for himself and others — while averaging 22 points in Alabama’s high-powered offensive system. He also boasts a “ball hawk” defensive mentality, which fits coach Nick Nurse’s aggressive philosophy and can generate transition opportunities on offense.
Philon’s on-court debut will be at Las Vegas Summer League beginning July 9, as the expected headliner of that Sixers team. After that, his offseason work could take him to Los Angeles, where Sixers assistant Rico Hines organizes legendary pickup games. Or Dallas, where Maxey has been known to recruit younger teammates for workouts. Or solo gym sessions, where Philon said he relies on imagination and high pace to simulate game-like scenarios.
But the draft week whirlwind is already requiring Philon to be adaptable. Good thing he believes that is one of his best basketball traits.
“Keep working hard,” Philon said, “and just stepping forward and really putting my head down.”
Summer officially arrived this week, and Philly is wasting no time. World Cup matches return to Lincoln Financial Field, festivals are filling parks across the city, and outdoor concerts are kicking into high gear. If you’ve been waiting for the season to feel like summer, this is the weekend.
Also in this week’s edition:
Fiesta at LOVE Park: Stop by one of the largest Latino arts and culture celebrations in Philadelphia.
Hershey’s Soccerland at Dilworth Park: Chocolate, soccer, and family activities at City Hall. What more can you ask for?
Noah Kahan at CBP: The folk-pop, singer-songwriter takes over Citizens Bank Park for “The Great Divide” tour.
FIFA World Cup 26: Curaçao vs. Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana vs. Croatia
Jimmy Coilliot of Lille, France cheers after France took a 1-0 lead in the first half of the France vs. Iraq 2026 FIFA World Cup Group 1 soccer match at Philadelphia Stadium on Monday, June 22, 2026.
The Curaçao national team, among the most inspiring underdogs at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, is taking on Côte d’Ivoire on Thursday at Lincoln Financial Field.
It will be a hotly contested matchup between the two Group E teams. After a loss to Germany last week, Côte d’Ivoire is looking to bounce back in hopes of landing the No. 1 spot in their group.
Curaçao, nicknamed The Blue Wave, is looking to secure the team’s first win not only in this year’s tournament, but in World Cup history.
On Saturday, the fierce competitions continue. Croatia and Ghana will go head to head in what could be an upset matchup.
🕺🏽Shake your tambourine: Philly-born rapper, TV host, author, and actor Eve is coming home for a one-night concert at the at the Dell Music Center. The performance, part of WaWa Welcome America events, is also a celebration of Black Music Month. The event will conclude with a firework display.
🍫 A sweet time kicking it at City Hall: Hershey’s Soccerland at Dilworth Park is a three-day pop-up where soccer, family, and chocolate collide. Visitors can enjoy fun activities, mini activations, and interactive games. Plus, they can get their hands on a limited edition Christian Pulisic Hershey milk chocolate bar.
🧙🏽♂️ The Wizard is here: The Philadelphia Orchestra will bring the iconic film The Wizard of Oz to life. While the film plays on screen, the orchestra will perform the movie’s score, giving long-time fans of the film a viewing experience unlike anything they’ve had before.
💃🏽 Kid-friendly cabaret: Kidchella, a free outdoor music event at Smith Memorial Playground, is delivering performances spanning Mexican son jarocho fusion, Brazilian percussion, Afrocentric R&B and dance, and family-style cabaret. The night will be capped off with fireworks.
📅 My calendar picks this week: North Broad Music & Morsels, Philly Fairy Festival, Culture Fest at Liberty Point, Harrowgate Summerfest, Germantown Art & Sound
Concilio’s Annual Hispanic Fiesta at LOVE Park
FILE: A skateboarder “jumps the LOVE Gap” in LOVE Park November 8, 2015.
Concilio’s Hispanic Fiesta, one of Philly’s largest celebrations of Latino arts, culture, community, and tradition is back at LOVE Park this Saturday.
The annual festival is headlined by Latin Grammy Award-winning singer Olga Tañón, known for hits like “Es Mentiroso” and “Muchacho Malo.”
Her performance will cap off a full day of live music, dance performances, food vendors offering authentic Hispanic cuisine, cultural exhibits, and interactive games and family-friendly activities.
Noah Kahan performs during the Pre-Grammy Gala on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
🎸 The Great Divide at CBP:Noah Kahan is up at bat at Citizens Bank Park. The pop-folk superstar, known for hits like “Stick Season,” is heading to CBP for his “The Great Divide” tour. Openers include Gigi Perez and Annabelle Dinda.
🎉 Celebrations at the Navy Yard: Who says the Navy Yard is just all industrial boats and cargo? Head to the Navy Yard for an afternoon of live music, delicious food, local art and craft vendors, and other fun activities for visitors of all ages.
🎡 Go back in time:The Lits Building will be the host of Revisit 1876, a six-month exhibition that showcases the stories, sights, and extravagance of the first World’s Fair in North America. The country’s first typewriter, telephone, popcorn, and seltzer will be among the items displayed at the event, which celebrates the nation’s centennial.
🎨 Restorative justice at the Barnes: The Barnes Foundation’s new exhibition, Just Us, features original artwork crafted by artists at State Correctional Institution — Phoenix, and members of Mural Arts Philadelphia’s Rec Crew — a 24-week job readiness and life skills program for young adults. The exhibition kicks off this Friday and runs through Aug. 24.
Staffer picks
Here’s a list of the best concerts happening this week.
D.C. rapper Wale performs a homecoming show Nov. 15 at the Theater at MGM National Harbor in Maryland. MUST CREDIT: Shaughn Cooper
🎤 Thursday: Buffalo rapper Conway the Machine, fresh off his 2025 album You Can’t Kill God With Bullets, is bringing the heat to the Foundry on Thursday night.
🎸 Friday: The Strokes, Thundercat, and Hamilton Leithauser join hands for a star-studded performance at the TD Pavilion at the Mann Center.
🎤 Saturday:Wale, who quietly dropped one of rap’s best and most underappreciated bodies of work, is headlining at The Fillmore Philly with fellow emcee and St. Louis native Smino.
🎺 Sunday: For a Harlem-themed jazz party at South Restaurant & Jazz Club, Brooklyn-born, Harlem-based vocalist and songwriter Allan Harris will be headlining the night on Sunday.
❓Pop quiz
When did the Lit Brothers building first open?
a) 1871
b) 1891
c) 1903
d) 1769
Ask Earl anything
I’m starting something new for the newsletter, and I want your participation.
Many of you have questions about each week’s listings, and others about Philly’s arts, culture, and entertainment scene.
I have you covered. Have a question? Email me for a chance to have it answered in an upcoming newsletter.
That’s it for this week’s edition. At the start of the summer, there’s always plenty to do. But with the FIFA World Cup in full swing, and other events centered on the semiquincentennial celebration, there’s far more to explore than usual. Make sure to work these into your weekend plans.
