Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced the introduction of an ordinance in Chicago City Council that bars Chicago police officers from making arrests and detentions based purely on immigration status. The Department still will detain individuals if there is pending criminal warrant or if the individual has been previously removed based on a felony conviction.
In response, the ACLU of Illinois issued the following statement:
We are pleased to support the proposed ordinance announced by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and encourage the City Council to approve the measure at the earliest possible date. The ordinance ensures that Chicago police officers will not be engaging in immigration enforcement on a daily basis.
The proposed ordinance codifies and expands long-standing policy in the City of Chicago dating back to the administration of the late Harold Washington. Police officers under this policy are focused on violent criminals who pose a threat to the residents and visitors of Chicago, not on hard-working individuals who simply wish to raise their families and improve their lives.
The Mayor and other City officials are to be commended for leading on this issue, rejecting the harsh and destructive policies that target our nation’s newcomers for unnecessary detentions and harassment.
