⚖️ Impact pending | Morning Newsletter
And ‘Inner Excellence’ in Kensington.
The Morning Newsletter
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Hi, Philly. Today brings stories about sports, politics, and the intersection of sports and politics.
President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order directing his administration to publish a list of states and cities it believes are obstructing enforcement of federal immigration laws. The move is part of an effort to get tough on so-called sanctuary jurisdictions — and it raises questions around the potential impact on Philadelphia.
And still riding the Eagles’ Super Bowl wave, Inner Excellence author Jim Murphy plans to open a “headquarters” in Kensington. Plus, yes, the Birds visited the White House — some of them, anyway.
— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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One day before his 100th in office, President Trump signed an executive order advancing his long-stated vow to punish sanctuary cities, which are typically defined as places that limit law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
What the order says: The order requests a list of such jurisdictions, threatens to withhold funding for those deemed to be in defiance of federal law, and promises legal action to make them comply.
What it means for Philly: Since 2016, city officials have declined to observe requests from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain prisoners based on their immigration status. Yet without more information on what the Trump administration believes constitutes a sanctuary city, it’s not yet clear exactly how the new order will impact Philadelphia.
What elected officials say: Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said she would not comment in detail until Trump makes concrete moves that affect the city. Pennsylvania Sen. Dave McCormick said Trump has “every right” to withhold federal funding from sanctuary cities that do not change their policies.
Reporters Jeff Gammage and Julia Terruso have the details.
In other federal policy news:
The U.S. Department of Education ordered the University of Pennsylvania to reassign honors previously awarded to transgender swimmer Lia Thomas to her competitors, or risk federal funding.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the public is looking at recent federal layoffs the “wrong way” during a visit to the Hanwha Philly Shipyard with McCormick.
The Philly-based Center for Black Educator Development joined a lawsuit against the education department after it said schools must end diversity programs in order to receive federal funding.
Soon, you, too, may be able to live out the story of Inner Excellence, the self-help book that went viral after Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown was spotted reading it on the sidelines.
📘 Rewind the tape: Performance coach Jim Murphy self-published the book in 2009, and it remained relatively unknown for 15 years, until the January playoff game cameo led to The New York Times bestseller list and a publishing deal. Inner Excellence will be re-released worldwide today.
📘 Take the field: The author is now working with a Kensington nonprofit leader to open an “Inner Excellence headquarters” in the neighborhood. Murphy envisions a studio space where people can learn the foundations of his book — that is, to “train your heart and mind for extraordinary performance and the best possible life.”
📘 The next play: Details so far are sparse, but Murphy felt inspired while touring Kensington last week: “The need is great,” he told The Inquirer. “That’s where I want to be, where the need is great.”
Plus: The Eagles visited the White House Monday for a ceremony honoring their Super Bowl win. Quarterback Jalen Hurts and other key players did not attend, while running back Saquon Barkley caught (and responded to) flak for golfing with Trump the day before.
What you should know today
Sen. Bernie Sanders will be in Philly this Thursday for a May Day rally at City Hall.
Police in Bucks County shot a man this weekend when he threatened residents with two weapons after crashing into a car in their neighborhood, officials said Monday.
A man found with 100 pounds of explosive materials in his Mayfair rowhouse in October pleaded guilty to federal crimes Monday.
Should New Jersey prosecutors be able to investigate decades of Catholic clergy abuse? The state Supreme Court will now decide.
The Community College of Philadelphia’s board of trustees named its provost, Alycia Marshall, as interim president at a special meeting Monday.
SEPTA would be required to privatize its bus service “at a minimum” under legislation proposed by the Pennsylvania House’s Republican leader.
The Parker administration aims to clarify how much each City Council bill costs Philly taxpayers via a new city website.
Pennsylvania’s 2025 primary election is May 20. Check out The Inquirer’s guide to who’s running and what to know about Philly’s three ballot questions.
🧠 Trivia time
The Philadelphia Visitor Center Corporation is recruiting 10,000 people to serve as Philly champions, advocates, and storytellers ahead of America’s 250th birthday in 2026. What will they be called?
A) Rocky’s Heroes
B) The Philly Specialists
C) Brotherly Lovers
D) Phambassadors
Think you know? Check your answer.
What (and who) we’re...
🎙️ Listening to: “The Battle of 1978,” the second episode of MOVE: Untangling the Tragedy.
☕ Loving: M. Night Shyamalan’s love for for this Harrowgate coffee shop.
🛠️ Taking: This home design quiz to see if we can spot recent trends in renovation.
👟 In awe of: The Villanova runner who crawled to the finish of the Boston Marathon.
🤍 Heartened by: The Gaudreau Family 5K, founded by Jane Gaudreau after the loss of her two sons.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: 41-year-old nonprofit dedicated to public art
RUST ALARM
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Eric Yanoff, who solved Monday’s anagram: the Bellevue Hotel. After recovering from pandemic challenges, the new incarnation of the “Grand Dame of Broad Street” could help Philadelphia navigate its economic future, architecture critic Inga Saffron writes.
Photo of the day
Jump on into the rest of your day. May it be a good one.
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