For more than 38 years, Chicago has defined itself as a “sanctuary city,” with five mayors promising to protect all immigrants in the city from federal agents, whether they are citizens, lawful permanent residents, or asylum seekers.
Even though Chicago’s mayor, Brandon Johnson, has stated that the city will continue to be welcoming to immigrants, the city’s efforts to house, feed, and otherwise care for the more than 18,500 people who have crossed the southern border to reach Chicago as of October 19 are coming under intense scrutiny. In an organised campaign to damage President Joe Biden’s chances for reelection and split Democratic voters, several people travelled to Chicago on buses funded by Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
Here is an overview of what it means for Chicago to be a sanctuary city and how that designation has generated discussion about the city’s newest immigrants.
How long has Chicago been a sanctuary city?
On March 7, 1985, former mayor Harold Washington issued an executive order prohibiting any city employee from inquiring into or aiding a probe into the “citizenship or residency status of any person” unless required to do so by a court or federal law. The order also stopped anyone from having their eligibility for city benefits denied on the basis of their citizenship.
What caused Washington to take action?
Washington, a Democrat, issued the order in retaliation to the Republican-led Reagan administration’s decision to instruct federal agents to ask people seeking city services whether they are citizens and to conduct arbitrary searches of city records to find illegal immigrants.
Why didn’t Washington request that such protects be written into law through the City Council?
Chicago’s first Black mayor, George Washington, and a group of White aldermen led by former Aldermen Ed Vrdolyak and Ed Burke caused a stalemate in the City Council in 1985. Washington never requested approval of the order from the City Council, and the Council also never tried to use its power to revoke the order.
Former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley signed the executive order once more on April 25, 1989, and it was in effect until 2006. In contrast, Daley stated in 1992 that his directive did not stop city workers from submitting immigration data to federal authorities if they were connected to major crimes. As a result, unauthorised immigrants in Chicago were no longer protected from deportation, closing what many immigration advocates regarded to be an important loophole that would last for more than 30 years.
What changed in 2006?
It was the same old familiar feeling. Similar to how they did in 1985, Republican President George W. Bush asked Democrat Mayor Richard Daley to assist in enforcing immigration laws. In response, the Chicago City Council passed a measure known as the Welcoming City Act that officially recognised the similar executive orders issued by Washington and Daley.
That being the case, why do some believe that Chicago is both a welcoming and a sanctuary city?
Right. They are same thing.
What differentiates that ordinance from the executive orders?
The ordinance provided the Chicago Police Department with specific guidelines after it was requested by federal authorities to become more actively involved in enforcing immigration laws. The ordinance banned officers from detaining someone only on the basis of a suspicion that they do not have legal status.
The statute also directed the Chicago Police Department’s top officials to disregard requests from immigration officials to detain illegal immigrants who had been detained for an additional 48 hours so that federal agents could begin deportation procedures.
Was there a heated discussion about immigrant protections?
No. Members of the City Council stated that the rising number of threats against immigrants was what prompted them to act, and the vote was unanimous. Due of their fear of being deported, many immigrants became afraid to assist Chicago Police officers. Until 2012, when former Mayor Rahm Emanuel requested the City Council to change the ordinance, those regulations were in effect.
What made Emanuel think it would be a good idea to change the law?
Former President Barack Obama, who served as Emanuel’s supervisor, increased attempts to enforce federal immigration rules with the assistance of local law enforcement organisations. The City Council approved a revision to the law that will enable Chicago Police officers to turn over undocumented immigrants to federal law enforcement agents if they believe the individual poses a threat to public safety or has been identified as a member of a gang. Emanuel hailed that modification as a strengthening of protections for law-abiding immigrants, but proponents of immigration rights criticised what became known as a “carveout.”
Emanuel praised the change nonetheless, claiming that Chicago was now “the most immigrant-friendly city in the country.”
In 2021, the Welcoming City ordinance received another revision. What altered?
After Trump lost the election, Chicago’s then-mayor Lori Lightfoot followed through on her campaign promises to strengthen protections for undocumented immigrants. Much to the relief of immigration supporters, current law now forbids Chicago police officials from cooperating with federal immigration agents in any situation. This undoes the change made by Emanuel in 2012.
Who wants the Welcoming City ordinance to be repealed?
Aldermen Anthony Beale, who represents the 9th Ward on the Far South Side, and Anthony Napolitano, who represents the 41st Ward on the Far Northwest Side, have suggested putting the Welcoming City ordinance to a vote in March. After decades of underinvestment on the South and West sides, Beale has consistently opposed efforts to use taxpayer funds for programmes to care for migrants. Napolitano is the only member of the City Council who is not a member of the Democratic Party.