On December 5, 2015, as NSM leaders were traveling to attend a townhall meeting with Mayor-Elect Jim Kenney, the Philadelphia police stopped NSM leaders Estela and her husband Mario and towed their car through the Live Stop program. The police left the family, including three young children, on the side of the road at night, violating the Philadelphia Police Department’s policy to transport people after their cars have been towed through Live Stop.
Despite this, NSM leader Estela continued on to the townhall meeting and recounted her experience with Live Stop just thirty minutes prior. Mayor-Elect Kenney was touched by her story and his staff helped her recover her car at the tow lot the next day.
“We made arrangements for her to get her car released and have someone who’s a licensed driver pick up the car,” Kenney said. “Her car is now insured and registered, and her car is legal and it is out of custody.”
He also told us that “the Live Stop program was never designed to throw people on the sidewalk. This is wrong and we will get to the bottom of this.”
Read this article from 12/6/15 in the Philadelphia Inquirer to learn more: “Philly cops leave undocumented woman, kids in street, take car”