Thread: IL: (rich) Sub. residents oppose shelter for immig. children

Suburban residents oppose shelter for immigrant children
(http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/news ... S1.article)

February 3, 2007

The Associated Press

CHICAGO -- The children rarely leave the federal immigrant shelter, a former nursing home near the city's lakefront that houses undocumented children found alone in the U.S.

Teachers and doctors are brought to them. And aside from occasional field trips or visits to a nearby park, the children spend almost all their time indoors -- although it may be months before they know whether they will be deported or allowed to stay.

But plans to provide more room by converting a 2.5-acre estate near suburban Naperville -- with an 11,000-square-foot house, tennis court and swimming pool -- into a first-of-its-kind shelter for undocumented Indian and Chinese children hit a snag:

Neighbors in wealthy Lisle Township don't want them.

They say the shelter, which would house as many as 30 children, could create traffic problems, lower property values and strain water and sewer services.

But some also worry that the children could escape and pose a threat to their own children. A flier circulated throughout the neighborhood said the shelter would be "WORSE than a halfway house!"

"We're not against the children. We're not against anybody," said Daniel Daghfal, who helped organize opposition to the shelter, which requires a conditional use permit.

"What we're saying is instead of changing the zoning, find a neighborhood that has that capability and has that type of dwelling," he said. "The whole purpose of the zoning laws is to protect the integrity of the neighborhood."

But Hugo Ruiz, managing director of youth and residential services at Heartland Alliance Inc., the not-for-profit group that would operate the shelter, said he can't help but wonder if that's true.

He said the flier, "created a panic" and was the result of misinformation. And whenever Heartland has addressed a concern, a new one has surfaced, Ruiz said. At a DuPage County Zoning Board meeting on Thursday, residents submitted a list of police calls in the area around the Chicago shelter -- even though no crimes were connected with the shelter, Heartland officials said.

The board deadlocked 3-3 in a vote over whether to allow the shelter. Now the issue goes to the County Board.

"It seems to be a moving target," Ruiz said. "I would be surmising here, but it seems that they just don't want us there. And that makes me sad. If we knew that their concerns were real and legitimate that would be different."

Children apprehended after entering the country illegally without a parent or guardian are placed in one of 30 shelters run by the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement, if a relative cannot be located here.

Many children come to escape poverty, but others could be fleeing war-torn regions or persecution; some may have been trafficked to work in forced-labor conditions, officials said. Law students work with children to ensure they are not deported if they have valid claims for asylum.

The Lisle Township shelter would be the first in the U.S. to cater only to children from China and India, who comprise less than 1 percent of all children in federal custody. They typically stay in the U.S. longer than those from Latin America because their cases are more complicated.

Chicago's children's shelter opened in 1996 following minimal opposition. But there has been opposition elsewhere.

When residents in the Flushing section of Queens, N.Y., objected to a children's shelter, officials allayed their concerns by providing a clearer picture of how the shelter would operate and the children it would serve, ORR Director Martha Newton said.

"If you go around and visit and see the shelters and the way we operate them, in most instances, you wouldn't even know it's there," she said.

"The concerns and fears had some basis, but that was before all of the facts of what actually was being proposed came into the open," said New York City Councilman John C. Liu, noting there have been no complaints about the shelter since it opened in 2005.

But Lisle Township residents say the issue boils down to a question of local rule and whether a community has the right to block an unwanted, federally funded program.

"It's a quiet, equestrian estate house," Daghfal said. "They are going to change the whole outlook of the environment."

I'd bet dollars to donuts those same people voted for Blagovitch & Obama last November.

"Oh yes, by ALL means, HELP the poor immigrants, but not in MY yard!!!"

Exactly, Pinestrawguys!!

Oh dear, is illegal immigration now infringing on the sacred "rights of the rich"?

They should build it in John McCain's backyard or on Ted Kennedy's compound. Let them make real contributions and sacrafices for the "undocumented".

Passing a "bill" doesn't require any personal sacrifice on these lawmaker's behalf. They're just passing the buck on to those Americans who are less fortunate and then going home to their luxurious fenced in homes with elaborate security systems.

Let them get up close and personal with the problem of illegal immigration. Let them reach out and allow it to touch their lives in a real way.

Let's see which lawmaker calls these wealthier Americans who give money to their campaigns "xenophobic".

Open your gates and tear down your walls Boys and let illegal immigants into your neighborhoods and private schools. Put your money where your mouth is.

You must be welcoming Americans and let them in!! They only came here in order to have what you have. Never mind that they broke the law. All they did was enter a country. Is that so bad? Don't worry that some could be terrorists!!

Remember:

Family values don't stop at the Rio Grande!!

I say instead of setting these kids up in a facility like this they should place each and every one of them with a supporter of illegal immigration for adoption, preferably one with a large income. Of course those who hold public office will be given first pick of the litter.

Yes. And I do have sympathy for these children.

The people who can really afford them are the people in Congress.

I'm also wondering just what ages these 'children' are. I'm thinking they're MOSTLY teenagers, to be in the country with no immediate family.

Younger that 10 or 12 you'd think ICE would've caught the parents, too.

Originally Posted by PinestrawGuys

I'd bet dollars to donuts those same people voted for Blagovitch & Obama last November.

"Oh yes, by ALL means, HELP the poor immigrants, but not in MY yard!!!"

Not hardly. That is Republican territory, and a hard working town that not only suppoorts themselves, but also donates much time and money to the community . The area isn't really "out in the country", it is an upscale neighborhood with a hand full of large lots. I hear so many people condemn "the rich", I think you need to back that up with "employed" and "pulling their own weight". By the way...do you want this home in your back yard? Save your dollars and your donuts, you are wrong.

Originally Posted by Neese

Originally Posted by PinestrawGuys

I'd bet dollars to donuts those same people voted for Blagovitch & Obama last November.

"Oh yes, by ALL means, HELP the poor immigrants, but not in MY yard!!!"

Not hardly. That is Republican territory, and a hard working town that not only suppoorts themselves, but also donates much time and money to the community . The area isn't really "out in the country", it is an upscale neighborhood with a hand full of large lots. I hear so many people condemn "the rich", I think you need to back that up with "employed" and "pulling their own weight". By the way...do you want this home in your back yard? Save your dollars and your donuts, you are wrong.

They might note have voted for those two, but after looking at some of the spreads in Lisle Township I'd double the bet that you'll find plenty of illegals on lawnmowers in that area. Not much of an 'enforcement' crowd there, IMO.

Well, Neese just for the record, I was going to put a little footnote on my post saying that there is nothing wrong with being rich, wealthy or successful. That is good and outstanding as long as it is done legally and honestly, which for most Americans it is.

But I didn't really think that it was necessary to put it as I thought that most people would know that this isn't about bashing the wealthy people in our country, but more of pointing out that the difficulties caused by illegal immigration are now starting to inch there way into higher socio-economic groups.

Basically, I think what everyone is trying to say is something like this:

Do you think President Bush and other elected officials will lecture about being a welcoming society to people who break immigration laws to those who may be their largest contributors??

Do you think that they will be told to be quiet about their concerns as basically the middle and lower middle class are being told to do?

Originally Posted by PinestrawGuys

Originally Posted by Neese

Originally Posted by PinestrawGuys

I'd bet dollars to donuts those same people voted for Blagovitch & Obama last November.

"Oh yes, by ALL means, HELP the poor immigrants, but not in MY yard!!!"

Not hardly. That is Republican territory, and a hard working town that not only suppoorts themselves, but also donates much time and money to the community . The area isn't really "out in the country", it is an upscale neighborhood with a hand full of large lots. I hear so many people condemn "the rich", I think you need to back that up with "employed" and "pulling their own weight". By the way...do you want this home in your back yard? Save your dollars and your donuts, you are wrong.

They might note have voted for those two, but after looking at some of the spreads in Lisle Township I'd double the bet that you'll find plenty of illegals on lawnmowers in that area. Not much of an 'enforcement' crowd there, IMO.

I think that you would be surprised. Most of the folks in that area are long time residents who aren't afraid to roll up their sleeves. I don't understand the "get the rich people" mentality here. That is discrimination in itself. That town has grown from a cornfield to one of the best places to live in the US, through the hard work of it's residents, which are very hands on. And as far as enforcement goes, I am frequently on our campaign boards, and I only see the same handful of names. We are an anti-illegal immigration group and WE as a whole are working in limited numbers. How can we expect anyone else to do anything?

"What we're saying is instead of changing the zoning, find a neighborhood that has that capability and has that type of dwelling," he said. "The whole purpose of the zoning laws is to protect the integrity of the neighborhood."

I could not agree with this more. Would you rather have a neighborhood of citizens who have no pride of ownership? Cook county has raised the taxes so much that the criminals are moving out to the suburbs. Our high schools are littered with Latin King graffiti, and it is becoming a free for all with drive by shootings, even in the nicer areas. Soon, the entire country will be one huge cesspool because we have to be politically correct...don't make too much money, you might offend someone.