Good News Alert: Chicago City Council Rejects Attack on Sanctuary Protections
(CHICAGO, IL, 1/17/25) – On Wednesday January 15th, the Chicago City Council voted 39-11 to reject Ordinance O2023-0004222, a dangerous proposal that would have rolled back the Welcoming City Ordinance by allowing local police to collaborate with ICE. This resounding defeat upholds Chicago’s long-standing commitment to being a sanctuary city, protecting immigrant communities, and maintaining constitutional rights.
CAIR-Chicago’s Communications Coordinator, Jordan Esparza-Kelley, was among the speakers who delivered public comments ahead of the vote, saying:
"CAIR-Chicago currently has 40-50 open asylum cases—what do we tell these people and families if we don’t remain a sanctuary? Plus, our economy cannot handle mass deportations. We as Chicagoans must direct our energy and organizing toward those who are actually oppressing and divesting from us. It is easy to turn new migrants into an enemy for residents...It is wrong to change this bill and reject people seeking a better life, and it would severely limit my organization’s ability to take on new immigration and asylum cases."
SEE MORE: CAIR-Chicago speaks on Welcoming City Bill at City Council Meeting Jan 15, 2025
Voting breakdown by alder.
The proposed rollback, widely condemned by legal experts and immigrant rights advocates, had the potential to violate the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable search and seizure. It also threatened to disproportionately harm Black and brown communities by increasing racial profiling and over-policing.
With the Trump administration preparing to ramp up deportations, the alders' vote sends a clear message: Chicago will not be complicit in federal anti-immigrant crackdowns.
CAIR-Chicago’s mission is to defend civil rights, fight bigotry, and promote tolerance.
CONTACT:
Ahmed Rehab, Executive Director, CAIR-Chicago, 202-870-0166, arehab@cair.com; Hafsa Haider, Communications Coordinator, CAIR-Chicago, 561-317-7509, hhaider@cair.com; Jordan Esparza-Kelley, Communications Coordinator, CAIR-Chicago, j-esparzakelley@cair.com, 224-627-1032