On heels of immigration ordinance, some want more 'teeth' in it
By Gregory Tejeda
Friday, May 15, 2009 | (13 comment(s))

CALUMET CITY | A new resolution that tells local police it is not their duty to inquire about someone's immigration status was only a few minutes old Thursday when at least one activist said he's thinking ahead to future actions.

Joe del Real, a local resident who has been watching the City Council from the sidelines (he tried running for an aldermanic post, but lost to Alderman Magdalena "Leni" Wosczynski in the April 7 general election), said he wants something stronger.

He wants an actual ordinance, with penalties specified for local police who get too cooperative with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. The new resolution merely says local police can't ask about someone's immigration status -- even if they come to suspect that the person might not have a valid visa.

"The next step is to actually have an ordinance, it needs to be clear that our police shouldn't be too close to immigration," said del Real. "Creating some repercussions (for police officers) would create an ordinance with some teeth to it."

Whether or not such an ordinance ever becomes a reality in Calumet City is questionable.

Such bans on cooperation with federal immigration officials would turn Calumet City from a "safe space" into a "sanctuary city," a status used by places such as Chicago and New York to designate those municipalities as places where newcomers to this country can feel welcome.

First Ward Alderman Edward Gonzalez has said previously he thinks Chicago's ordinance goes too far in terms of restricting police activity.

While officials with the Calumet City police department were supportive of the resolution, they might resent something that tries to go further in intent.

As things stand, Gonzalez said he is pleased that his resolution (which was pending before the City Council and its committees for nearly three months) ultimately received a unanimous vote of approval, even though most council members went out of their way to say as little about the issue as they could.

"I thank my colleagues for their support," said Gonzalez, adding that he thinks the resolution as it currently stands makes a fairly significant gesture of support toward Calumet City's growing Latino population, which local officials place at between 16 and 20 percent.

"All we are saying is that we will be a fair and equal city for everybody," Gonzalez said.


http://www.nwi.com/articles/2009/05/15/ ... 665105.txt