Thread: Chicago "Sanctuary" Resolution

I Guess the Stocking was Empty... by thebaldchick.

Yesterday I posted on Cook County's last board meeting of the year, where my county commissioner Roberto Maldonado's resolution to make it a sanctuary county was on the agenda for vote.

I have yet to see any reports in the media, but an e-mail from a top secret media contact revealed that there were not enough votes, and it would probably come back up for vote in January. I sure would like to know who isn't supporting the resolution -- so I can thank them profusely -- and I may just have to poke around a bit to see what I can find out.

Just call me Sherlock. posted by thebaldchick

for those who don't know, thebaldchick is Jake Jacobsen's wife. If anyone can help her out with info, her e-mail is:

thebaldchick@sbcglobal.net

Thanks

UB

Ditto baby. If you know who supported it I want to send more emails. I'm the next county over -Lake.

When I first read the topic title my stomach did a little flop as I thought it passed. Wonder if there is some kind of limit how many times they can bring forward a resolution. Twice is not enough to know it's dead in the water?!

Keep us informed.

Any state, county or local government that supports this type of criminal behavior should be stripped of all federal government funds.

Good luck in convincing bush to withholding federal cash from those cities...Chicago is very liberal anyway so i can see this thing passing.

Get the heated box cars ready colorado will be sending its illegals to Illinois. who hoo!

UB,

Sounds like they voted on a motion to bring the issue to the full board for consideration and vote. The motion was voted down, so no discussion or vote on the matter took place. The issue may never go before the full council for vote. If it is not supported now, it will not be supported later.

I'll look for a media update.

Dixie

Originally Posted by MovingForward

Good luck in convincing bush to withholding federal cash from those cities...Chicago is very liberal anyway so i can see this thing passing.

If they want to see money from the Olympics they'll get this right and vote no sanctuary. Any city too ignorant to listen to the 9/11 commission's recommendations should not be allowed to host an event we already know is subject to terror attack.

Here is a copy of the agenda item. They have passed this in commitee but not the full board.

http://www.cookctyclerk.com/html/121906agenda.htm

ITEM #62

Transmitting communication, dated December 12, 2006 from

ROBERTO MALDONADO, County Commissioner

I am submitting this Resolution for a vote at the December 19, 2006 Board meeting. The Resolution prohibits the Cook County Sheriff’s Office and other Cook County bureau, offices, departments, and employees from inquiring or disclosing information about the immigration status of Cook County residents.

Although I first introduced this Resolution at the September 7, 2006 Board meeting where it subsequently gained approval in the Committee on Law Enforcement and Corrections, the current Resolution incorporates most of the recommendations set forth by the State’s Attorney’s opinion (available in my office upon request) and further clarifies the purpose and meaning of a “Sanctuary County.” Please note also that the concept and language in the Resolution is in consonance with the Chicago Police Superintendent’s General Order, the City of Chicago’s Executive Order, and the City Council Ordinance (available in my office upon request).

I am also submitting for your review a Letter of Support from Carlina Tapia-Ruano, President of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, a recent article in The New York Times quoting the District Attorney of San Francisco’s support of that city’s sanctuary law, and a statement from the International Association of Chiefs of Police expressing its opposition to compelling local law enforcement agencies to enforce federal immigration laws.

Submitting a Proposed Resolution sponsored by

ROBERTO MALDONADO and JOSEPH MARIO MORENO, County Commissioners

Co-Sponsored by
FORREST CLAYPOOL, JOAN PATRICIA MURPHY and ROBERT B. STEELE,

County Commissioners


PROPOSED RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, the County of Cook is a home rule unit of local government pursuant to Article VII, Section 6(a) of the 1970 Illinois Constitution; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to its home rule power, the County of Cook may exercise any power and perform any function relating to its government and affairs including the power to regulate for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and

WHEREAS, to this end, the County of Cook is dedicated to providing all of its residents with equal access to the services, opportunities, and protection county government has been established to administer; and

WHEREAS, there are now approximately 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States, including half a million in Illinois and more than 300,000 who live in communities throughout Cook County, working full-time jobs, paying taxes, and contributing to Social Security and Medicare; and

WHEREAS, conditioning the provision of benefits, opportunities, and services on citizenship or immigrant status or inquiring about such status in the course of such provision directly contravenes the County’s commitment to ensuring equal access for all of its residents; and

WHEREAS, the enforcement of civil immigration laws has historically been a federal government responsibility, a power vested first in the Immigration and Naturalization Service and then in the Department of Homeland Security; and

WHEREAS, initiatives such as the proposed Federal Clear Law Enforcement for Criminal Alien Removal Act, which would require local governments to give their local law enforcement agencies express authority to enforce immigration laws, also signal pressure to expend limited local resources on traditionally federal functions; and

WHEREAS, encouraging local governments that are not specifically equipped or trained to implement immigration and anti-terrorist measures is likely to result in inconsistencies and decentralization that undermine instead of strengthen these measures; and

WHEREAS, as a matter of public safety, the protection of an individual’s citizenship and residency status will engender trust and cooperation between law enforcement officials and immigrant communities to aid in crime prevention and solving, including human and drug trafficking, prostitution, domestic violence, and even terrorism, and will discourage the threat of immigrant and racial profiling and harassment; and

WHEREAS, according to the National Immigration Law Center, nearly 50 cities and counties throughout the U.S. have enacted “Sanctuary Laws”, prohibiting their agencies from inquiring about immigration status and unilaterally enforcing immigration law provisions including Cambridge, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Seattle and several states, including Alaska, Maine and Oregon; and

WHEREAS, Cook County joins Sanctuary states, cities, and counties across the nation by declaring itself a Sanctuary County, which means that Cook County ensures equal access to essential benefits, opportunities, and services by prohibiting Cook County bureaus, office, departments, or employees or other Cook County agency or agent from inquiring or disclosing information about immigration status.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that, except when otherwise required by law, no Cook County bureau, office, department, employee, or other Cook County agency or agent shall condition the provision of Cook County benefits, opportunities, or services on matters related to citizenship or immigrant status, and that it shall also be the policy of the Cook County Sheriff’s Office to prohibit the investigation or assistance in the investigation of the citizenship or residency status of any person unless such inquiry or investigation is otherwise required by law; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that, except when otherwise required by law, no Cook County bureau, office, department, or employee or other Cook County agency or agent shall disclose information regarding the citizenship or residency status of any person unless required to do so by legal process or such disclosure has been authorized in writing by the individual to whom such information pertains, or if such individual is a minor or is otherwise not legally competent, by such individual’s parent or guardian; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Cook County Bureau of Health Services shall not condition the provision of health benefits, opportunities, or services on matters related to citizenship or immigrant status, but may, in the course of seeking reimbursement from state, federal, or other third party payers, inquire about immigrant status for the sole purpose of receiving reimbursement from said sources; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that except when otherwise required by law, where presentation of an Illinois driver’s license or identification card is accepted as adequate evidence of identity, presentation of a photo identity document issued by the person’s nation of origin, such as a driver’s license, passport, or matricula consular (consulate-issued document) shall be accepted and shall not subject the person to a higher level of scrutiny or different treatment than if the person had provided an Illinois driver’s license or identification card except that this provision does not apply to the completion of the federally mandated I-9 forms; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution does not create or form the basis for liability on the part of the County, its agents, or agencies. The exclusive remedy for violation of this resolution shall be through the County’s disciplinary procedures for officers and employees under regulations including, but not limited to, County personnel rules, union contracts, civil service commission rules, or any other agency rules and/or regulations that a person alleging a violation of this resolution shall forward a complaint to the Office of the Inspector General (“Inspector General”) who shall process it in accordance with the complaint-processing procedures established in the Cook County Code (Vol. I, Ch. 2, Art. IV, Div. 5, Sec. 2-285) and to the Commission on Human Rights who shall process it in accordance with the complaint-processing procedures established in the Cook County Code (Vol. 1, Ch. 42, Art. II, Sec. 42-34 & 42-39), except that if the complaint is against any member of the County Board or any employee or staff person of any County Board committee, the Inspector General and the Commission on Human Rights shall promptly transmit said complaint to the Chair of the Cook County Committee on Rules for processing or such successor committee having jurisdiction over said matters and if the complaint is against any member of the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, the Inspector General shall transmit it to the Cook County Sheriff’s Office for processing and the Commission on Human Rights shall process it in accordance with the complaint-processing procedures established in the aforementioned Code; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that all applications, questionnaires, and interview forms used in relation to Cook County benefits, opportunities, or services shall be promptly reviewed by the pertinent agencies and any questions regarding citizenship or residency status, other than those required by statute, ordinance, federal regulation, or court decision, shall be deleted within 60 days of the passage of this resolution.



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