(David Mark / Pixabay)
Mayor Lori Lightfoot introduced a measure Wednesday to expand protections for immigrants by blocking Chicago Police from cooperating with federal immigration agents.
Lightfoot dropped plans in October to link those protections to the city’s 2021 budget, which closed a $1.2 billion shortfall with a combination of tax hikes, fee hikes and millions of dollars of borrowing.
Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th Ward), who has been pushing for changes to the city’s sanctuary city ordinance for five years, said he expected the measure to become law in January since it has the support of a majority of the City Council as well as the mayor.
However, the proposal faces a procedural hurdle after Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th Ward) blocked it from advancing directly to the newly created Committee on Immigrant Rights for a hearing and a vote. Lopez sent the measure to the Rules Committee, which is typically where controversial legislation is set to languish and eventually die.
Ramirez-Rosa, who is frequently at odds with Lopez, said the move would not block the measure’s progress.
“Just a speedhump slowing down passage of this important measure to strengthen immigrant protections and divorce local policing from federal immigration enforcement,” Ramirez-Rosa tweeted.
Ald. Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez (33rd Ward) called Lopez’s action “outrageous.”
Lopez said he moved to block the effort because some undocumented immigrants have committed crimes in his ward, which includes Brighton Park and parts of Englewood.
“Those few people that are committed to violence and terrorizing our neighborhoods should not be given the same respect and concern we give to those wanting to actually lift up Chicago,” Lopez said in a statement. “I believe firmly that Chicago must remain a sanctuary for all that wish to add to our city’s greatness, regardless how they got here. However, we must continue to recognize the difference between those undocumented individuals wanting to improve our city versus those that would seek to harm it.”
The current ordinance allows Chicago police officers to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents if they ask for information about individuals listed as a gang member in city databases, have been charged or convicted of a felony, or are wanted on a warrant issued by a judge.
During the 2019 mayoral campaign, Lightfoot campaigned on removing those exceptions. In January, Lightfoot promised to make those changes once the U.S. Supreme Court resolved a lawsuit brought by the city that sought to block the federal government from yanking federal funds from so-called sanctuary cities like Chicago.
President-elect Joe Biden has vowed to overturn President Donald Trump’s efforts to deport undocumented immigrants and punish cities that are determined to protect them. Lightfoot and Ramirez-Rosa have said it makes sense to move forward now that the outcome of the presidential election is clear.
In January 2020, the City Council voted to make Lightfoot’s prohibition on allowing agents from Immigration and Custom Enforcement Agency to access the city’s gang databases permanent and to require city officials to document all requests for assistance from the federal government.
In addition, the city restricted cases where city officers and officials can assist ICE and required officials to develop sanctuary policies for all city facilities to prevent immigration agents from detaining undocumented immigrants on city property.
The city’s sanctuary status dates back to 1985, when Mayor Harold Washington issued an executive order prohibiting city employees from enforcing federal immigration laws. It became law in 2006 and was reaffirmed after the 2016 election of Trump.
Contact Heather Cherone: @HeatherCherone | (773) 569-1863 | [email protected]
