# Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights

The Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights hall have jurisdiction over all matters relating to opportunities for, and the security and stability of, first-generation and second-generation immigrants and refugees living in Chicago, with a particular focus on the economic, education, and public health-related concerns of such persons.

## Members

| Member | Ward | Role |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Andre Vasquez Jr.](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/40) | 40 | Chair |
| [Jeanette B. Taylor](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/20) | 20 | Vice Chair |
| [Pat Dowell](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/3) | 3 | Member |
| [Michael D. Rodriguez](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/22) | 22 | Member |
| [Jessica L. Fuentes](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/26) | 26 | Member |
| [Chris Taliaferro](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/29) | 29 | Member |
| [Ruth Cruz](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/30) | 30 | Member |
| [Felix Cardona Jr.](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/31) | 31 | Member |
| [Anthony J. Quezada](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/35) | 35 | Member |
| [Timothy R. Knudsen](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/43) | 43 | Member |
| [Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/48) | 48 | Member |
| [Maria E. Hadden](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/49) | 49 | Member |
| Jeylu B. Gutierrez |  | Member |
| Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez |  | Member |

## Workload this term

- Items referred: **26**; reached a final action: **9**
- Waiting in committee: **15** (median 930 days); over 180 days: 15; over a year: 12
- Meetings held: **18** (18 with video); cancelled: 5
- Calendar feed: [subscribe (.ics)](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/api/calendar.ics?committee=immigrant-and-refugee-rights)

## Waiting longest

- [Call for Chicago Police Department and Chicago Law Department to establish protocols for transparent certification process for U Nonimmigrant Status and provide updates to Joint Committee of Public Safety and Immigration and Refugee Rights](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/AFA55517-5C10-EE11-8F6C-001DD806D641) (Or2023-0001264), 1203 days, sponsor Lopez, Raymond A.
- [Call on U.S. President Biden and U.S. Department of Homeland Security to designate, re-designate or extend designation of various countries for Temporary Protected Status and expand eligibility opportunities](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/527C9829-5026-EE11-9965-001DD804E9A5) (R2023-0002942), 1175 days, sponsor Nugent, Samantha
- [Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 2-173 entitled "Welcoming City Ordinance" by repealing it in its entirety](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/E431CF27-987D-EE11-8178-001DD8095137) (O2023-0005843), 1064 days, sponsor Beale, Anthony
- [Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 2-173 entitled "Welcoming City Ordinance" by repealing it in its entirety](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/2AD3E175-9B7D-EE11-8178-001DD8095137) (O2023-0005847), 1064 days, sponsor Lopez, Raymond A.
- [Call for hearing(s) to review City's response to immigrant populations being marginalized](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/FE287D61-E399-EE11-BE36-001DD83057A3) (R2023-0006442), 1028 days, sponsor Dowell, Pat
- [Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 2-172 by deleting in its entirety and adding new Chapter 2-172 entitled "Clarifying Haven Time Limits" prohibiting length of stay limitations for transitional shelters operated by City of Chicago](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/5FF13F83-D6E6-EE11-904C-001DD806E058) (O2024-0008393), 930 days, sponsor Manaa-Hoppenworth, Leni
- [Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 2-172 by deleting in its entirety and adding new Chapter 2-172 entitled "Codifying Transitional Haven Removals" prohibiting length of stay limitations for transitional shelters operated by City of Chicago](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/BDD2F44B-D7E6-EE11-904C-001DD806E058) (O2024-0008395), 930 days, sponsor Ramirez, Julia M.
- [Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 2-172 by deleting in its entirety and adding new Chapter 2-172 entitled "Transitional Haven Guidelines" prohibiting length of stay limitations for transitional shelters operated by City of Chicago](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/325CDDEF-D6E6-EE11-904C-001DD806E058) (O2024-0008394), 930 days, sponsor Vasquez, Jr., Andre
- [Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 2-172 by deleting in its entirety and adding new Chapter 2-172 entitled "Prevent Shelter Evictions" prohibiting length of stay limitations for transitional shelters operated by City of Chicago](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/B3A01475-D5E6-EE11-904C-001DD806E058) (O2024-0008392), 930 days, sponsor Vasquez, Jr., Andre
- [Call for hearing(s) on barriers to housing faced by immigrant, migrant and refugee communities in City of Chicago](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/D93FE5A9-DF75-EF11-A671-001DD804AA64) (R2024-0012421), 748 days, sponsor Vasquez, Jr., Andre
- [Call for examination on recent alleged violations of free speech and due process rights](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/DB43298C-6436-F011-8C4D-001DD8309E73) (R2025-0017562), 503 days, sponsor Vasquez, Jr., Andre
- [Call on United States President Donald Trump to revisit Executive Order 14012 to grant noncitizen United States military members immediate path to citizenship upon service completion](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/6F35BBDF-519A-F011-B4CB-001DD802A35E) (R2025-0019992), 376 days, sponsor Lopez, Raymond A.
- [Call on President Donald Trump to grant pardons to any non-dangerous, non-criminal noncitizens and grant amnesty and pathways to citizenship to all qualified for pardons](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/671F6065-BAAA-F011-BBD2-001DD80B7FF7) (R2025-0020520), 355 days, sponsor Lopez, Raymond A.
- [Department of Procurement Services directed to conduct study on active contracts/vendors with City of Chicago also contracted/vending goods/services to federal immigration enforcement activities](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/B39FFA54-EC0C-F111-8406-001DD80F9592) (Or2026-0023360), 230 days, sponsor Vasquez, Jr., Andre
- [Call on President Donald Trump and U.S. Congress to abolish Immigrations Customs and Enforcement and to expand legal pathways for entrance and lawful permanent status](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/0B383E5B-EF22-F111-8341-001DD80C2AAC) (R2026-0024080), 202 days, sponsor Quezada, Anthony J.

## Upcoming meetings

- [Thu, Oct 15, 2026, 10:30 AM](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F97D1D10-EABC-F111-AAAE-001DD80B58E5)

## Recent meetings

- [Jul 17, 2026](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/D8625F02-4C6B-F111-A823-001DD80F48C2) (video)
- [Jun 11, 2026](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/646D14F0-995E-F111-BEC5-001DD8080738) (video)
- [May 18, 2026](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/E817A17D-A148-F111-BEC5-001DD812C292) (video)
- [Apr 14, 2026](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/6FC52705-CF32-F111-88B3-001DD8033B18) (video)
- [Mar 25, 2026](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/B6419F1C-5321-F111-8341-001DD8064EE3) (video)
- [Oct 15, 2025](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/B352778D-69A5-F011-B41B-001DD802EE8D) (video)
- [Sep 12, 2025](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/2F92853F-EB88-F011-B4CB-001DD809A4A7) (video)
- [Sep 5, 2025](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/1376FF11-7478-F011-B4CB-001DD804AD80) (cancelled)
- [Jul 24, 2025](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/CB8415B8-4058-F011-877A-001DD80525D9) (video)
- [Jul 1, 2025](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/98D9D505-994B-F011-8779-001DD8069091) (video)
- [Jun 24, 2025](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/82A6F25A-3946-F011-8779-001DD8052E36) (cancelled)
- [Mar 18, 2025](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/59321CAC-C9FD-EF11-9340-001DD804A238) (video)
- [Jul 23, 2024](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/A909C891-A43F-EF11-8409-001DD830A789) (video)
- [Jul 2, 2024](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/24DC1E1B-932D-EF11-840A-001DD806F0F1) (video)
- [Jun 26, 2024](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/5129FFBA-2124-EF11-840A-001DD804F643) (cancelled)

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Source: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/committee/immigrant-and-refugee-rights · Chicago Politics, an independent, nonpartisan tracker of the Chicago City Council. Guide for agents: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/llms.txt