Chicago alders to vote on plan that would allow CPD to work with ICE in some instances
CHICAGO (CBS) -- It will be a busy day in the Chicago City Council on Wednesday, with one of the items on the agenda being a proposal for changes to Chicago's Welcoming City Ordinance.
Aldermen will vote on whether to let police work with federal agents when undocumented immigrants are arrested for certain crimes—including drug charges, prostitution, and loitering.
Right now, the ordinance bans Chicago Police from working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, to deport immigrants living in the U.S. without legal permission.
But Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th) said not all undocumented immigrants should be under one umbrella.
"This is something that has been a priority of mine ever since former Mayor Lori Lightfoot removed these exemptions from the law," Lopez said.
Lopez is one of the alderpeople fighting to allow the CPD to work with ICE if undocumented immigrants commit certain crimes.
"What we are most concerned about is that if ICE and Donald Trump's administration come to the Back of the Yards, or come to Little Village looking for someone, there's going to be collateral damage," Lopez said.
But the Illinois Attorney General's office said the proposed ordinance could violate the Illinois TRUST Act—which was enacted in 2017 with the goal of building relationships between law enforcement agencies and immigrant communities by ensuring interactions between undocumented immigrants and police in Illinois do not lead to deportation or detention, as the explained by American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois.
The state Attorney General's office also said there could be issues with due process, racial profiling, and retraumatizing survivors of human trafficking.
"Not only has the Attorney General has already shared concerns of the constitutionality of this amendment, but also even the Chicago Police Department has shared a memo," said Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th).
Sigcho-Lopez will be voting no to the change to the Welcoming City Ordinance. He worries it will violate immigrant rights and criminalize people.
"I'm hopeful and I feel confident that tomorrow, a majority of City Council will see that this is nothing more than fearmongering, hate speech and another attack not only on the immigrant community, but our city," Sigcho-Lopez said.
As for Ald. Lopez, he is well aware of the legal issues. But he has his doubts about whether the proposal he is backing will succeed.
"I have some reservations about how likely this will pass tomorrow," Lopez said. "Clearly, we know there's an enormous push by the mayor and his allies and City Council, and on the street, to stop us from what we're doing."
The City Council meets at 10 a.m. Wednesday, but alders do not expect a vote on the changes to the Welcoming City Ordinance until the afternoon.