http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com

Carpentersville, IL Focus Campaign
http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... ic&t=42574

Law vs. illegal immigrants on C'ville agenda

October 3, 2006
By GLORIA CARR STAFF WRITER
CARPENTERSVILLE -- The firestorm surrounding immigration will strike village hall tonight, where trustees are expected to discuss whether a local ordinance aimed at illegal immigrants has merit.
No official vote is expected, but trustees may decide whether to direct staff to further explore the proposed Illegal Alien Immigration Relief Act ordinance, Village Manager Craig Anderson said.

Carpentersville is the first municipality in Illinois to consider an ordinance that would make English its official language, would prohibit anyone from "aiding and abetting" illegal immigrants, and would fine landlords who rent to illegal immigrants. Trustees Paul Humpfer and Judy Sigwalt are proposing the ordinance.

The ordinance is based on a Hazleton, Pa., law passed last month. That city declared English the official language and, unless "explicitly mandated by the federal government" or the state, all official city business, forms, documents and signage will be in English only, the law states.

Under the law, businesses that employ illegal immigrants will be "denied and barred from approval of a business permit, renewal of a business permit and any city contract or grant."

Additionally, "aids or abets" is defined as hiring illegal immigrants, providing rentals or leasing of real property to illegal immigrants, and providing goods and services to or aiding the establishment or continuation of any day labor center or other entity providing similar services. The ordinance "shall not be construed to prohibit rendering emergency medical care, emergency assistance or legal assistance."

Another section of the law prohibits property owners from leasing to illegal immigrants. Landlords could be fined $1,000 a day if the city learns of the violation.

Hazleton's law is being challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union and is not being enforced pending the outcome of the lawsuit. However, Humpfer feels Carpentersville could benefit from the ordinance. He argues that illegal immigrants have created numerous social problems such as school overcrowding and higher crime rates.

Humpfer said he has received an "overwhelming" amount of support.

"I am getting voice mails, e-mails, phone calls from a lot of residents -- probably more than I've ever received in total from our residents -- and people are overwhelmingly behind us," Humpfer said, adding that neighboring village officials have contacted him as well.

While Humpfer has been receiving more support than he expected, there is dissension on the village board over the issue.

"This is a hot-button issue that a couple of trustees stirred up," Village President Bill Sarto said.

"Frankly, I do not want to be the new racial battleground over the immigration issue," Sarto added. "I think that is exactly the position these two trustees are putting us in."

He called the proposed ordinance a "political stunt," adding Humpfer and Sigwalt are inflaming people who are politically charged over immigration and making those people think the village can do something about the issue.

Sarto's other concerns center on Carpentersville's ability to obtain grants and a good bond rating -- which uses a municipality's economic stability as a factor in determining rates. He said the village already has been informed that its effort to obtain the best health insurance benefit rates for employees may have been compromised because of the controversy.

"There are a lot of unanswered questions here that I don't think people have thought through," Sarto said.

He believes the village should wait to see what happens to court challenges in other communities before discussing the ordinance.

"There is a reason why local government is not jumping into the pool," Sarto said. "They want to know the temperature of the water before they jump in."

Humpfer denied that the ordinance is part of an orchestrated political stunt. He also stated the ordinance does not address people's race but, rather, people's status in this country.

"Residents are asking us to do something about illegal immigration," he said. "It is a shame we don't have more people on the board who think it is an important issue and will listen to the residents."

Sarto said the village board could vote tonight to end the discussion surrounding the ordinance and make it a dead issue. However, if a majority of the board decides to continue discussions, village staff would be asked to do more research on the ordinance. The board also could decide to table the matter and call a special meeting, he said.

Carpentersville officials are expecting a large turnout, with some people traveling from Chicago on buses as well as members of the Illinois Minutemen Civil Defense Corps, and police will be undertaking crowd control, he said.