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Attempt To Change Chicago’s Sanctuary City Rules So Cops Can Work With ICE Fails [1]

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Date: 2025-01-15

CITY HALL — A proposal to modify Chicago’s sanctuary city ordinance to allow coordination between Chicago police and federal immigration officials was struck down by City Council Wednesday.

The amendment, filed by Alds. Raymond Lopez (15th) and Silvana Tabares (23rd), would have allowed police and officials to work with federal agents when they’ve arrested or convicted undocumented immigrants of certain crimes including “gang-related activities,” selling and buying drugs, prostitution, human trafficking and “sexual crimes involving minors.”

The measure was blocked from moving forward Wednesday through a parliamentary process that passed 39-11 before any discussion took place — but not without passionate public comment from Chicago residents.

Protesters and local officials filled the lobby at City Hall Jan. 13, 2025 to rally in support of the city’s Welcoming City ordinance in the face of Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th) and Ald. Silvana Tabares (23rd)’s proposed changes to the ordinance. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago

Immigrant rights advocates and city officials critical of the measure argued the amendment would have devastating effects on Black and Brown communities and leave the city vulnerable to financial and legal consequences. Cooperation with federal agents is currently prohibited under the city’s “Welcoming City” ordinance and the state’s Illinois Trust Act.

“If you care about public safety, you should vote against this amendment because it is inspiring fear and terrorism in the city’s most hardworking residents … as the Chicago Police Department said in a recent memo, it erodes trust in law enforcement and will deter people from reporting crime,” said Elias Cepeda of Pilsen Defense and Access during the public comment portion of the meeting.

While the majority of people who took to the mic were against the amendment, a small group of audience members could be heard screaming “Trump is coming to get you” and “Ice Ice Baby,” a reference to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

Lopez said he was “incredibly disappointed” that he was unable to have an open discussion about the proposed amendment. He doesn’t have concrete plans to revive his efforts but said he was open to collaboration with other City Council members.

“Our doors have always been open, our phones have never turned off and our emails continue to work. And if people have suggestions on how we can do that … we remain here, open, ready and willing to have those conversations,” Lopez said.

Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th) points his finger at Mayor Brandon Johnson during a City Council meeting where the 2025 budget was passed 27-23 on Dec. 16, 2024. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago

Alderpeople who voted against Lopez’s proposal claimed victory, saying the proposal would have made undocumented people afraid to call 911 and seek help from police.

“An overwhelming majority of the city of Chicago came together and said, we are going to maintain Chicago as a sanctuary city. We’re going to ensure that our residents feel comfortable picking up the phone and working with police because that helps keep all of us safe,” said Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th).

Mayor Brandon Johnson also praised council members for standing firm on Chicago’s sanctuary city status.

“I want to express my administration’s strong support for the Welcoming City ordinance. We intend to follow the law and remain in compliance with the Illinois Trust Act, and more importantly, we intend to stand by and protect Chicago’s immigrant communities against threats from ICE,” Johnson said at a post-meeting press conference.

Protesters and local officials filled the lobby at City Hall Jan. 13, 2025 to rally in support of the city’s Welcoming City ordinance in the face of Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th) and Ald. Silvana Tabares (23rd)’s proposed changes to the ordinance. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago

Leading up to Wednesday’s meeting, Lopez and Tabares’s proposal faced significant backlash from immigrant rights advocates and city officials for the potential financial and legal risks of allowing ICE holds in Chicago.

An ICE hold, also known as an immigration hold or immigration detainer, is a request from Immigration and Customs Enforcement to a jail to hold an arrested undocumented person for up to 48 hours after a scheduled release date. This allows ICE time to take custody of the undocumented person, according to ICE’s website.

However, this form of arrest is the only of its kind in the United States that does not involve a review by a judge or other neutral official, said Mark Fleming, associate director at the National Immigrant Justice Center. The oversight has left cities open to litigation, resulting in millions of dollars in damages paid out to immigrants.

In December, New York City was ordered to pay $92.5 million to immigrants unlawfully detained as a result of ICE holds between 1997 and 2012. In 2020, Los Angeles County was ordered to pay $14 million for people illegally detained between 2010 and 2014, leading to a permanent ban on ICE transfers in the county.

Lopez on Wednesday did not explicitly say if he knew of the potential financial and legal liability before he filed his amendment, though he said he was aware of it.

“New York and L.A., if I’m not mistaken, held people longer than the 48 hours for the ICE detainers. We’re not advocating for them. That’s where they broke the law, and that’s where they became financially liable in those lawsuits,” Lopez said.

Some alderpeople who had opposed the amendment said they were not concerned if Lopez and Tabares came back with another version.

“They can attempt, but they’ll get 39 votes every single time,” said Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26th).

Listen to the Block Club Chicago podcast:

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[1] Url: https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/01/15/attempt-to-overthrow-chicagos-sanctuary-city-rules-fails-at-city-hall/

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