Chicago migrant advocacy groups prepare for Trump's threat of mass deportations after inauguration
CHICAGO (CBS) -- As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office on Monday, there are growing concerns in Chicago about his threat of mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.
Many immigrant advocacy groups in the city and suburbs have been reaching out to undocumented immigrants ahead of Trump's inauguration, in an effort to get ready for what might be coming.
Advocacy groups said they take the Trump administration's threats seriously, after incoming border czar Tom Homan said he's going to make Chicago "ground zero" for mass deportations, and will flood Chicago with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents "looking for criminals and gang members."
"They were going to use Chicago as a model, an example of going after people, members of our community, the first couple days of this new administration," said Mary Meg McCarthy, executive director of the National Immigrant Justice Center, which provides legal aid for immigrants and asylum seekers.
McCarthy said they've had 49 requests for their "know your rights" presentations ahead of Trump's inauguration. Those presentations offer information what undocumented immigrants should do if an ICE agent shows up at their door.
"Our phones have been ringing off the hook for people wanting legal consultations," McCarthy said. "They are now equipped to understand what their legal rights are – that they don't have to open the door to their home, unless there is signed warrant, signed by a judge, and that they have an opportunity to see that warrant."
Homan visited Chicago a few weeks ago, saying he would be back to carry out deportations in the new administration.
"Chicago's in trouble because your mayor sucks and your governor sucks," Homan said last month at an event hosted by the Law and Order PAC and the Northwest Side GOP Club. "If your Chicago mayor doesn't want to help, he can step aside, but if he impedes us—if he knowingly harbors or conceals an illegal alien—I will prosecute him."
Homan also recently appeared on CBS's "Face The Nation" to discuss the Trump administration's mass deportation plan, as well as so-called "sanctuary city" laws in some cities and states, which prohibit local from cooperating with ICE agents. Both Chicago and Illinois have such laws, so Chicago police won't be allowed to assist in any mass deportation efforts.
"We know where a lot of criminals are. They've been prevented from arresting them. We're going to arrest starting day one. As far as being in jails and prisons, we would love to work in local jails, but sanctuary cities won't allow us into those jails," Homan said.
Immigration experts believe those most at risk of being deported under the incoming Trump administration are undocumented people that already have a removal or a deportation order, have had an encounter with the criminal legal system, or have missed an asylum hearing.
"The real issue is going to be when they don't show up to their asylum cases, which there's no doubt in my mind that the far far far majority of them, if not all of them, aren't going to show up for their asylum cases," said Ald. Nick Sposato (38th), who supports Trump.
Sposato and brushed off concerns from some fellow aldermen that ICE could go after undocumented immigrants who have not committed any crimes since coming to the U.S.
"He never said he's going after law-abiding [immigrants], you know Dreamers or anything like that. He's going after the criminal element. They're going to have their hands full enough with the criminal element," Sposato said.
Sposato attended Homan's visit to the city's Northwest Side last month, with dozens of other supporters of Trump's plans.
"I think the proof is in the pudding. This was an unprecedented election for Republicans, especially in recent times. So they were fed up with what's going on," he said. "I'm very hopeful that we're going to get back on the right track. I think it's going to be a lot harder than the president or Homan think it's going to be. I think it's going to be a very difficult task."
There is a lot of uncertainty over if, when, or where ICE agents will begin any mass deportation efforts in Chicago.
