Immigration up for discussion all week at College of Lake County

By Erin Holmes
eholmes@dailyherald.com
Posted Sunday, July 15, 2007

Groups favoring stricter enforcement of immigration laws converged Saturday for a conference at the College of Lake County and urged participation today in a Waukegan shopping spree involving only businesses that concur with that stance.

Representatives from other sides of the immigration debate will unite Monday at the college for a four-day session that tackles the emotionally charged issue by way of panel discussions, films and more.

The events come as Lake County settles into the immigration spotlight: On Monday, Waukegan’s city council will reconsider participation in a program that allows police officers to identify, process and detain immigration offenders they encounter in day-to-day enforcement.

The council had voted to seek federal permission to join that initiative. That vote tore the city apart.

William Gheen, president of Americans for Legal Immigration PAC, will be on hand for the discussion. On Saturday, he spoke during the Conference on Immigration at the Grayslake college.

He called that gathering a rally for those concerned with “the massive and rapidly growing presence of illegal immigrants in our country.â€