The committee on immigrant and Refugee Rights will now come
to order.
pursuant to the Chicago city council Rules of Order
procedure rule 49, the sergeant-at-arms sets forth the
following rules of conduct to be followed during the public
comment period and the duration of all committee and City
Council meetings a profane vulgar threatening abusive or
disrupted language is not permitted demeaning
discriminatory harassing behavior and speech directed
towards others is not permitted disruptive behavior,
including disruptive or disrespectful conduct during other
presentations is not permitted banners flyers or signage or
not permitted backpacks large bags of sharp objects are not
permitted clear bags not tinted in color that do not exceed
twelve inches by 6 by 12 will be permitted and are subject
to search food and beverages including in metal canisters
are not permitted cell phones must be placed on silent
prior to entering the meeting room individuals must remain
seated public comment speakers are permitted to stand only
when providing public comment small handheld devices may be
used only while seated and the you
I must refrain from interfering with the view or hearing of
other individuals individuals or groups failing to adhere
to these rules will be asked to see such destructive
conduct and failure to comply will result in their being
subject to removal from the meeting by the Sergeant at
Arms.
As I stated that the committee the committee on immigrant
and Refugee Rights will now come to order today. We have
two items on the agenda. The first of subject matter
hearing with votes to be taken on a resolution brought
forth by alderperson Fuentes regarding parole expansion at
the federal level and the second a subject matter hearing
with no votes to be taken on the history of migration in
Chicago will begin with a roll call to establish quorum.
alderwoman Del alderwoman Gutierrez
Army Knutson
all the other person Rodriguez alderperson Fuentes
alderperson Taliaferro
alderperson Cruise
alderperson Cardona
alderperson Rodriguez Sanchez, I believe might be on
virtually all the personnel ramirez-rosa.
older person may not happen worth
alderperson hadn't
vice-chair Taylor
And I am present.
There are nine members present. We have a quorum. Are there
any non members present? I see all their persons Hall
Robinson.
Burnett's
all marked it out in attendance other person's cruise and
Rodriguez Sanchez have requested a virtual option for
Committee hearing attendance.
And Taylor is well and Taylor as well dude, extenuating
circumstances in accordance with rule 59 of the city
council Rules of Order and procedure and with subsections a
through D of section 7 of the open meetings act. Can I get
a motion to allow older persons Cruise Taylor and Rodriguez
Sanchez to attend this hearing virtually.
so moved by hearing and so ordered
at this time, we'll begin the public comment period due to
the abundance of people are signed up the the time. For the
total public, 30 minutes out of respect for everyone. I
meet speakers limited to one minute remote speakers will
comment first followed by those in person and we have no
collars. We will now start with the in Person Public
comments.
right
We have Octavia Mitchell representing Chicago communities
up first.
Good morning. My name is Octavia Mitchell. I'm the owner of
heal your heart nonprofit organization. I'm here today to
speak about the migrant flood that's here. We have over
200,000 people on Chicago waiting list that has been
sitting on Chicago waiting list for over 10 years some of
them and they have not been placed there homeless. I have
no problem with anyone else coming in. But when are you
going to pool from our waiting list to place are the
Chicago citizens here? I invited Brandon marriage the
Brandon Johnson to A Mother's Day event before he was sworn
in the Mother's Day event was a day before he was sworn in
he has stated to me that he will come and he declined on me
weeks. I'm in a couple of days before that and this the
birthday event is for mother's why impacted by gun violence
this Mother's has lost their children. He stated that he
will come he declined.
Thank you. I apologize. Your minute is up. Next person to
speak will be George, Blakemore.
We have so many assignments telling nobody or if you only
have one minute when you supposed to have 3 minutes, who do
you think you are better? Listen to hear me? I'm totally I
want it for Beach recorded. I wanted to go do I have to do
I have legal immigrants new arrival? Why would you be
against these people next to Blake more because they come
and get in front of the old arrived that was enslaved and
that's what makes me angry man, and you know nothing about
them.
I did not do any legal come through immigration and
naturalization. You don't know they name did they no
background check on them famous?
Thank you. Mr. Blakemore. Your time is up.
Next speaker is Bree using mcclimon.
Good morning. My name is breeze on mcluhan. I'm from
heindel family Alliance and on half of ice there this
morning on these past few weeks have been very painful for
us. I watch our neighbors and the communities that I love
to serve every day are all struggling. So that would be
immigrants and black American Delight.
Communities that have faced years of underfunding and
closed schools closed mental health clinic Rising rents and
lack of effective strategies to keep my brothers and
sisters safe by addressing the root causes of violence
restorative practice.
So instead of throwing division or asking that all of us
and just invest in communities historically disadvantaged
communities immigrant communities black American
communities together need you to work together to lift all
out and support. I apologize if you can hold out for a
second Mister, Blakemore
If you continue what we we asking you to leave.
Then we shall do it. Mr. Starting arms. If you could please
explore him outside. Thank you.
And any older who is not interested in that should be
ignored.
We have always been a welcoming City and we should always be
a welcoming city city.
Considering all of our neighbors and all of our brothers
and sisters together. So we're asking you today to
continue, but please do the real work.
Thank you.
We will now stand at recess to allow a place to be cleared.
The comedian immigrant Refugee Rights is back in session
next speaker for public comment is Tatiana Perez.
Hi, my name is Tatiana. I am 23 years old. I'm here to
support the resolution to offer parole and work permit for
11 million living here and working and raising their
families in the US for decades. I've had friends and family
members who have been here waiting for documentation for
years. Why is my people not important enough for you guys
to care? Why is my people scared and afraid to go outside
and to make one mistake and they're going to be arrested
like Lily. I have family members that don't even want to go
outside because they're scared that they're going to be
deported for making one mistake are looking the way that
they do look Mexican. This is unjust. This is not right and
This is been a Justice them for years and we still see it
every day. And this shouldn't be happening to our people to
anyone. Thank you very much. Next speaker is a Polina era.
My name is Paulina Herrera. I've been in the United States
since I was five years old, my father was granted amnesty
and night through the 1996 Embassy from Ronald Reagan in
the past where you could become a citizen and my mom got
stuck with two kids in a country to fend for herself and
for her kids right now. We I currently cannot up. We apply
for DACA due to the Trump Administration ending. It is a
vitamin Administration as a parole two new arrivals from
Latin America in the Ukraine. I do have mixed feelings.
On one hand. I am happy that these new arrivals don't have
to worry about being separated are going to be able to get
a work permit quickly on the other hand. I feel deeply
betrayed by this country the only home I've known because I
know that how it how millions of families like mine
continue to Suffer Without these basic rights and
protections despite our tremendous contributions to the
labor force and to culture and Society. Why are families
being excluded? What is a B in the ministration have
against done? I love being a Chicago and I'm proud to call
at home. This is an unjust system free Palestine.
Thank you very much.
I'd ask if the interest of time if you keep the Clapping
quick so we can go through everyone. But thank you very
much next up camp idea.
buenos dias
but Amazon Plus their testimony go and tell, tell Amy
grassy under contract Chicago important a President Joe
Biden rally stolen vehicle at Grand Terrace or a a and o
Sona schedule Venezuela, Nicaragua Ukrainian siete on your
desk.
In those Mill Orchard in those Mill doesn't mean you need
if i m a t i v e r a a Alabama eBay. Danella Casablanca on
some units against our friend. Alya manasa. The deportacion
is owes me John is madder considered a portal.
Disco, yes Temple.
Okay. Yeah the score for the ice temple.
next
your time is up.
Thank you. Next up Eric Ramos.
What you doing? That is my name is Erica Ramos, and I'm
here at the party for socialism and Liberation and I'm here
today is because the poorest cities that is a sanctuary
City station in destabilization of the global South and
Latin America is Africa's produce mass migrations into the
Imperial powers of both the United States and Europe and in
both places, we hear the saying racist rhetoric not unlike
him in any way I can you send them over there build a wall.
We don't speak their language all criminals and rapists are
coming to take our jobs are coming to get badge about
illegal send them back but it is use that Africans in
Europe are Latin Americans here in the United States today
just as it was too many points in our past we do is wrong.
It was racist. It was cowardly was absolutely shameful. And
so it is today Here There and Everywhere and so we found
fight racism is racism. We fight racism in solidarity and
that's what the walking in city ordinances about Rhonda
repeating our past. We will not turn back. The clock will
not accept our family being sent back into the Shadows. We
will not go back to the raid. We will not go back to see
our communities and families torn apart. Shout out to my
Uncle Mike and Columbia. I miss you.
The one thing you do with your hair appointment at 6 for a
city to The Manor Apartments.
Thank you very much as well. As for the Fred Hampton Court
much appreciated as a reminder for folks just to reiterate
there's a minute of time for speakers in espanyol getting
only noticeable. When is he a pastor Emma Lozano?
Chicago has the second largest Mexican population in the
country 26th Street in Little Village is the second highest
grossing economic Corridor in the city second only to the
Magnificent Mile. Are they bringing back born to our
economy? We work in every major economy sector and many are
union members during the pandemic was our families who work
the most dangerous jobs without proper protection and
without government age. Now that hundreds of thousands of
new migrants have been issued work permit 11 million.
Mostly Mexican undocumented workers are being terminated or
replaced by Big Business by cutting labor cost. The 11
million are moms dads files his neighbors of the 50 million
US citizen Latinos who have proven that we are for medieval
political voting black and we voted in by the man who
promised
He said he would give us when when President Obama and
Biden were in 2006 now we're saying today if he fails to
act before the Democratic Convention next summer. It will
be a clear message to the Mexican community that he
thank you very much. Next up. We have asked thank you. Next
up. We have Esmeralda Alarcon Follow by Brenda solorzano
and Andy on my manure.
Hello, my name is a smell alert, My organization is
Brighton Park neighborhood Council. And in this moment.
We're supporting new arrivals by providing case management
working directly with families in many other ways. I'm glad
that this committee will be talkin about to walk in a city
ordinance today. I'm here. Port of the Chicago walking city
ordinance our cities of welcoming policies and show that
the city will not discriminate among our neighbors solely
because of where they are born. You aren't specifically
ensure that the city will not assist with immigration
enforcement that tears immigrant families apart and
terrifies our communities some council members have been
working to undermine the W the W Co these efforts only you
two things that reduces the rights of many Chicago
residents pay something a phobia anti-immigrant sentiment.
It endorses the right-wing politics of Donald Trump
Governor Abbott and other white supremacist who is some
people are not worthy of the same rights and protections as
others just because of where they come from Chicago is
better than that. I'm doing the walking City orange will do
nothing to address the challenges Chicago's facing to
welcome new arrivals Norwood it direct us.
I need to walk around communities. We should support the
walking city ordinance and support Investments at all
vulnerable Chicago residents and communities. Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Next up we have Brenda solorzano and a correction followed
by Reverend Dennis Langdon. My name is Family Focus. And
I'm also a member of I serve my organization supports the
community's regardless of their status any effort to
undermine the welcoming city ordinance, like Esmeralda said
reduces the rights of Chicago residents, and it doesn't and
it aims to create a vision in our community is it doesn't
address in any way how we can figure out something for Rhea
pre-opening mental health clinics and supporting the work
permits for all and this would help all of Chicago and the
state of Illinois focus on what's important. Let's build on
these critical wounds and move forward together. Our
Liberation is tied to one another
Thank you very much. Next up Reverend Dennis Langdon
followed by Nino Brown.
Morning.
Give me your tired your poor your huddled masses yearning
to breathe free The Wretched refuse of your teeming Shore
send these the homeless tempest-tost to me is engraved in
the base of the primary Port of Entry of European
migration. We are a nation and the City of immigrants. The
only natives of America and Chicago are Native Americans
Chicago has received waves of immigrants over our history.
Most recently the 30,000 refugees.
From Ukraine and more than 22,000 migrants from Venezuela.
And yeah, they have received very different receptions.
Most of us weren't even aware of the arrival of ukrainians.
The city has a population of 2.7 million residents. We have
enough resources to provide for all of Chicago's residence
migrants included. The debate shouldn't be Us Versus Them
repealing the welcoming ordinance isn't going to stop Texas
and Arizona from busting immigrants. It will make our city
less safe is our new arrivals hide in the shadows devoid of
police protection and accountability. Do not turn Chicago
into a show me your papers city. Thank you very much.
Next next up. We have Nino Brown followed by Mahalia,
Velasco.
Please I want to first off say that this so-called migrant
crisis is really a crisis of capitalism and imperialism the
fact that these people are coming from Cuba from Venezuela.
These are countries that are heavily sanctioned by the
federal government and the fact that the Democratic party
Brandon Johnson even some of the progressives and city
council are not putting pressure on the federal government
because this is a national problem that needs National
National Solutions. There are 11 million of our Gente who
are still in cages or still being locked up right Haitians
were being whipped at the border. The migration issue is
not a black-and-white issue is the issue of working-class
People all across the world trying to survive the fact that
they are coming to this country is because
We have colonized their countries and terrorizing for so
many years that they are forced to come here to the young
people in the crowd. If you're listening know that that
your enemy is not migrants. Your enemy is capitalism. They
need people who who who who are precarious so that they can
lower wages and have us compete against each other and in
this rat race.
Thank you very much. Next up Mahalia Valastro followed by
Sarah Roski.
Good morning. My name is Mahalia Velasco, and I'm a proud
daughter of an illegal immigrant father 11 years ago. He
was deported for being stopped for traffic violation. I'm a
US citizen alongside with my four siblings and mother and
my family represents two million households while lost a
family member to deportation. I still have suffered the
consequences to this day. I'm asking each of the council
members here to commit himself to fight to bring my dad
home and to free the 11 million. I am a promise to get
Chicago should be proud of the fact to be home too many
diverse families Chicago made must be strong to the
leadership at this important political moment when
President Biden comes to our city next summer, and we're
going to make sure you get this message, and we need that.
We need a party for my dad as well as parole and work
permits for all. Thank you.
Next next up. We have Sarah Roski followed by Frank
Chapman.
Hello, my name is Sarah gronowski and I am here on behalf
of just canceling or going to fairest families in Chicago
have long been under threat of Separation. Do the harmful
is activity without the welcome a city ordinance immigrant
families. What are made afraid to take their children to
school seek medical attention A10 court hearing pursue
public services or state police protection the welcoming
city ordinance disproportionately protects longtime
immigrant families who statuses are unable to be changed
because of her broken Federal immigration system the people
who are pushing putting a sanctuary question or on
Sanctuary City question on the ballot or being
disingenuous. They never supported the welcome a city
ordinance and having trying to repeal it for years and are
now taking advantage of the city advisory referendum
process to clean. They want voters to decide.
I support the welcoming city ordinance, and I'm against
putting any anti-immigration. Am I any anti-immigrant
questions on the ballot? Thank you.
Thank you very much. Next up is Frank Chapman followed by
Reverend Sandra Castillo.
Bring Chatman Ziegler director national anthem against
racial oppression.
We're trying to use this other Mike.
Thank you.
I'm here to support the
draft resolution City of Chicago city council committee to
the National fight for parole for the 11 million.
near me
I'm sorry about that. This resolution has been introduced
by Alderman the Atlantis all the person 4 inches, and I'm
here to support it.
This is not I wish this was not a black and brown issue,
but it is.
It is 300,000 ukrainians still coming to this country, but
not very much controversy.
That's because the president bite me.
I'm not speaking out against him coming in, but I'm
speaking to the obvious racism is going on here. That's why
I support this resolution.
Thank you very much. Mr. Chapman.
next up Reverend Sandra Castillo followed by Elsie
Hernandez
I'm the Reverend Sandra Castillo and I share the Episcopal
Diocese of Chicago Sanctuary task force and we and our
churches work to integrate our immigrant brothers and
sisters refugees and asylum-seekers into a Metropolitan
Community.
I am also the proud daughter of Mexican immigrants and I
remember I remember how people retreated before this and
other laws prohibited discrimination and mistreatment of
immigrants. And so imagine if this ordinance is repute.
Immigrants will live in fear of any contact with the police
immigrant Crime Victims will not call the police because
they will believe that the police will contact ice and they
will be deported domestic violence victims will continue to
be abused parents will be afraid of taking their children
to school or to the doctors City agencies will openly
discriminate against people who they think are immigrants.
I ask that you protect the welcoming city ordinance. Thank
you very much.
For the record. I want to show that Alderman Taliaferro is
here for Coram and Alderman 6A Lopez's here in attendance.
Next up. We have Elsa Hernandez followed by Carlos Bossard.
Good morning, everybody going through. My name is Elsie
Hector Hernandez. I was my haitian-born Bennett Haiti. I am
the founder and the CEO of the Haitian American Museum of
Chicago we oh, I'm here to say thank you for the city of
Chicago for at least recognize the Haitians that are here
in Chicago. Haiti's are very interested country. We are
suffering but not because we want to be stuck free the
individuals that are coming through Borders or suffering
and this city was founded by Joe Mighty sponges are the
first resident immigrant in Chicago. That's kind of started
the city. So, please be aware that the he does want to
work. They don't want to leave their country than want to
stay. But however, the car payment due to several reasons.
I went factors made it impossible for them to stay there.
So give them a chance. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Also for the record autoimmune Lee is
here in attendance next up your Carlos bussard followed by
John cyprian.
Bon soir I want to see ask good morning everyone. My name
is Carlos posture, and I'm the director of programs and
Museum practice at the Haitian American Museum of Chicago.
Our mission is to promote and preserve Haitian art culture
history and community in Chicago and Beyond as a proud a
Guatemalan adopting working with him to Haitian Community.
I've had the absolute pleasure of learning about the
connections between my cultural heritage and the beautiful
black Haitian diaspora. I'm here today to support my
colleagues from the Coalition of Haitian American
organizations in the Chicagoland area and the United
African organization as well to ensure that all migrants
black brown and between individuals that have been in the
city for years that are here right now at the Landing Zone
and future Chicagoans are coming here to find a new life. I
have the resources that they need, but I also truly
deserve. Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Next up we have John cyprian followed by Muhammad. Ullah
Tandy.
Hello everyone. My name is John Cipriano. I'm Haitian born
and an immigrant to Chicago. I'm also a program coordinator
or the Haitian American Museum of Chicago and over the past
few months would be helping up over 200 patients that I've
come to the city of Chicago along with some South American
citizens as well. And most of those folks qualify for
parole. And then one thing I'm here to say is that
The work permit that's been going on a lot of this folks
qualify and I'm asking the city to work with the federal
government to speed up the process so that so that folks
can get their work permit faster. Once they do that.
They'll be able to get out of the shelters get jobs get out
of the shelters and try to lift a weight off of the back of
the city and and you don't help other migrants that will be
coming and take their spot at the shelters. That's all I'm
going to say. Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Next up is a Muhammad Ali Tandy followed by a sillago for
Lasko.
Muhammad ullah Tandy, are you here?
Okay, go to next person to login, Velasco.
Hello, good morning. My name is Elia Velasco. And I'm here
to represent those two million who have lost a parent son
daughter brother sister are supposed to deportation
President. Biden has issued parole and work permits for
hundreds of thousands of refugees with no protection for
those living in the shadow. We need him to fulfill the
promise. He made with Obama. I asked for each of the
members here to commit themselves to spy for the unjust
Chicago must be strong the leadership needs to stand up at
this important political moment. And when President Biden
is here and my
Hometown next summer. I am going to make sure he gets this
message and that he was my dad a pardon and worker's permit
for all. Thank you and have a good day.
Thank you very much. Next up. We have Becca lubo filed by
Damien Cogan.
I'm an organizer Jay. Sua and I'm here to support the
welcoming city ordinance. We fought for that ordinance a
few years ago and got overwhelming support from the
majority of city council. Now Governor Abbott in Texas
wants to see our communities turn on each other and compete
for scraps and we have to do better because we're in one of
the richest cities in the world and if the wealthy pay
their fair share there are enough resources for everyone to
drive here. That's why we're organizing in support of bring
Chicago home to end the homelessness crisis, and it's why
we demand that Chicago remain a welcoming city with a
commitment to meet the needs of our new neighbors instead
of being focused on pitting communities against each other
with racist rhetoric city council should be focused on
making real investment in our communities that lift
everyone up. Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Next up we have Damien Cogan followed by Sarah Thomas
lumnah.
Thank you so much. Damien. Next up is Sarah Thomas Linda
followed by William Allen.
Hello, I'm a community organizer with Asian Americans
advancing justice as Asian Americans. We Trace our advocacy
for the welcoming city ordinance back to the racist and
anti-immigrant assault and deportation threats by Chicago
police officer on Asian American tanning salon, worker
Jessica Clyde check over a decade ago. This incident was
what galvanized my organizations to join the welcoming City
campaign. So that incidents like this would never happen
again in the city of Chicago the welcoming city ordinance
makes us all safer. It provides reassurance to Immigrant
communities that we can seek protection and city services
without fear the people currently arriving on buses as
Parolees Asylum applicants are people with temporary
protected status or shielded from deportation. I'm doing
the welcoming ordinance won't affect them, but it will
affect the thousands of undocumented people and their
families who now live in this city.
As we saw when the council passed the city budget last
month, we can work together to win resources for all
communities. Thank you very much.
Next up we have our William Milan followed by Julieta
Boulevard.
I thank you for the opportunity to speak William Allen
Chicago resident us since the passage of the 1986 amnesty.
It was supposed to be a balance between enforcement and
amnesty. We've had plenty of and this respected 2 million.
We got 4 million, we heard a number six million for a long
time now, it's 11 million, but it's actually more like 30
million due to analysis of remittances done some years ago.
This drives down the wages of hurts the working class and
it also hurts the environment by having we have so many
people that use a lot of resources the Sierra Club
environmental used to oppose immigration, but a hundred
million dollar donation from David album and hedge fund
manager got them to change their position so that they no
longer oppose access immigration.
Union membership is at an all-time low and the private
sector of 6% continued unlimited immigration hurts the
working people. It benefits the wealthy class. It's their
democracy.
Thank you very much. Next up Julieta Bolivar followed by Sam
Toya.
Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Julieta Bolivar from
Bolivia and this country it's known because they welcomed
everyone everyone. I'm very thankful to this country. And I
was very young when I came. So if I had the opportunity to
for the work permit
Maybe my life was different but I don't I don't do great.
I'm happy but the work permit for everyone is very very
important because in that time in my job, I wasn't able to
like leave from that job because I didn't like it because I
had to take food for my for my family for myself pay rent
and everything and I wasn't able to to ask for help food
stamps, like most of the people think that we we go the
work permit for the people that they they were here. It's
very important.
Thank you very much.
Next up. We have Sam Toya followed by Sarah Daniels
Sherman. I'm over here. Just so you know, right? Hello. My
name is Sam toy on presidency all the Illinois Restaurant
Association. The hospitality industry is the largest
private-sector employer in Illinois, but the industry is
suffering from severe labor shortage. In fact 62% of
restaurants across the United States reported understaffing
this year with unemployment under 4% severe labor shortages
are hammering every restaurant in consumer due to Congress
failed to solve our immigration challenges, but luckily the
solution to this problem is already here millions of
migrants are long-term undocumented immigrants are here
ready to work, but we need to go over to make it possible
the Illinois Restaurant Association fighting for working
permits for undocumented immigrants for over a decade. We
are founding member to Illinois business immigration
Coalition, and and now part of the national here to work
Coalition convene B American Business immigration
Coalition. We are calling on President Biden.
Work permits for long-term immigrants workers in Illinois
to fill critical labor shortages and lower inflation on
average long-term are going to have lived and worked in,
Illinois for 15 years.
A document. Thank thank you very much.
Next up. We have a Sarah Daniels followed by Serena.
Hello, my name is Sarah Daniels, and I'm here on behalf of
Planned Parenthood of Illinois. I'm here today because like
a majority of Chicagoans. I fully support Chicago being a
sanctuary City, but now some members of the council are
trying to push an anti-immigrant agenda and use migrants as
pawns to challenge our ability to provide compassion and
care for new migrants. I'm doing the welcoming city
ordinance will not address the challenges Chicago was
facing to welcome new arrivals normal it direct a single
penny to black and brown communities that have faced
chronic disinvestment for Generations. We must protect the
welcoming city ordinance, and we must continue to work
together to meet this challenge i h the council to support
Investments that supports our new neighbors and uplift all
vulnerable communities in Chicago. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Next up. Is Serena going to wear and I
followed by Elaine Lehman.
Hi, everyone. My name is Serena Honaker and I am a
community Navigator with indo-american Center as stated on
the office of the mayor's website being a welcoming City
means that we are committed to serving and protecting all
Chicago in the welcoming city ordinance as a catalyst for
safer communities a flourishing Economy Inn.
A compelling example for other cities Across the Nation it
showcases the transformative power of policy-driven
inclusivity and diversity initiatives focused on the
well-being and contributions immigrant and Margaret
populations, but don't take my word for it alone. And now I
see from a nice day to set up Tain be a Freedom of
Information Act request show that Sanctuary counties
experienced a lower crime lower poverty and lower
unemployment rates and higher median household annual
incomes the scarcity mindset that there's not enough
resources for all Chicago and is false. I close by origen
you let Chicago Thrive let Chicago grow. Let's cago lead
defend the welcoming city ordinance. Thank you. Thank you
very much.
Next up is Elaine Lehman followed by Claudia marchan, and
that will be the speakers.
I I can't hear.
Thank the leadership or pausing a volatile situation. So
that cooler heads could actually Prevail on the issue of
the welcoming city ordinance. I'm being born immigrant with
a Mexican father who who was a professor of criminology and
in his short life actually work to advance the rights of
blacks and the Latino Community here in Chicago as a young
man and undergraduate he trained with Cesar Chavez, and I
think that he contributed to mr. Travis's understanding of
the value of
immigrants documented non
I believe that the issue of the issues. The information has
been authenticated and I appreciate the council the entire
Council especially this committee leadership in giving
pause because
Elaine I'm sorry the time is up.
Thank you very much Elaine. Next we have Claudia marchan,
please.
Hi, good morning. Everyone buenos dias. My name is Claudia
martinon, the executive director of Northern Illinois
Justice for our neighbors and immigrant Justice
organization that provides free immigration legal services
to all immigrants who need them throughout Chicago and
Northern Illinois regardless of how long they have been
here. Whether it's 25 years five years one year or arrived
last month. I am an immigrant myself. I came to the United
States at the age of four and was undocumented for 26 years
of my life documented for 9 years. That's a total of 35
years as you can imagine 35 years is a long time to live in
the shadows. This is why Sanctuary City status was an
important was really important to my family and keeping us
together folders on certain 35 years Century City status
provide protection to family.
From racial profiling being surveilled and track down
because of their immigrant status and being at risk of
deportation.
Sanctuary cities has meant that my family was not afraid to
go to the police when we need it to because of her
immigration status.
Thank you very much.
Thank you to all of our speakers today. I would like to
note that this committee received three written public
comments. These written public comments have been sent out
to the committee members via email and are within your
printed packet there being no more speakers. The public
comment period is concluded we will begin with the routine
matters of the committee. Our first item is the approval of
the September rule 45 report in your packet can have a
motion to approve the September rule 45 report. So moved by
other persons went is hearing no objections. So ordered the
next item on the agenda before a committee is our 2023 Dash
0 0 0 5 2 8 9 a resolution calling on President Biden to
expand parole and work authorization program for recent and
long-term immigrants in the US now Sr. 2023 Dash 0 0 5 2 8
9 with no substitute changes made just updated to keep it
current since its original introduction The Substitute was
filed on Elms and members of the committee for free.
Did a copy of the substitute resolution individual packet
send ahead of this committee meeting and in your physical
packets today my first have a motion to accept you
substitute resolution for consideration. So moved by Auto
Parts in Gutierrez, all those in favor. Say aye all those
opposed say nay in the opinion of the chair. The eyes have
it. The substitute resolution is accepted with that. I'll
turn it over to alderperson Puentes who is the lead sponsor
to give you a brief statement before we begin with the
subject matter hearing on this. Thank you other funders
reserve my comments before
Thank you. All right, we will now have testimony regarding
this resolution each presenter. Please keep your statements
to around 5 minutes joining us to present our Chris Bergen
from the Bergin law office and the Almond or the from the
resurrection project and Jacqueline Villanova from Chicago
workers collaborative. We got some folks in the boxes while
supporting this panel for questions. Please reserve your
questions and comments until after the conclusion of the
presentation will happen till 11. What have the time for
this matter.
All right, first up. We will have Chris Bergan. Please
identify Yourself by name and title. Thank you very much.
Brandon
My name is Chris Bergan longtime immigration attorney and I
have my own private law office now Bergin Law Office
Vasquez vice-chair Taylor.
Sponsor Wente and my Alderman Cardona, I'd like to just
briefly mention and talk about the legal underpinnings of
the resolution itself. So this
parole
Authority that President Biden has been using for the last
several years is all based out of the immigration and
nationality act section 212 and that section is very Broad
and it's some Authority it basically allows Homeland
Security to Parole in various categories of individuals
primarily focused on those who have humanitarian needs
those whose parole would provide significant public
benefits for the United States of America. And for those
who are able to apply for a green card through let's say a
citizen spouse or a citizen
Child who is now 21 years old. This power was initially
granted to the attorney general. And then in the
Immigration Reform Act of 1996 that Authority was kind of
transferred along with the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to
Department of Homeland Security in all the agencies
underneath that
So the very same Authority that President Biden is using to
allow.
Very needy and people who should be allowed in from Central
America and the Caribbean, Ukraine.
Can be used to provide some relief for people who have been
longtime residents of the United States. I can't tell you
how many clients a day for the last 25 years I've had.
I've been here at least 20 years many 30 40 years.
Bill undocumented
citizen kids
doctor children grandkids or 5610 ranches where is Citizens
but they're still stuck in the same as class. So what we've
done in the past. There's this part of this humanitarian
statue called Parole in place and the government has never
really used it over the years for military personnel. So if
you're someone serving in the military overseas, your wife
is undocumented and the only way she can legalize has to go
back to her home country.
get a waiver go back to her home country and then
If there's no problems come back into the United States
legally. So the idea was we don't want our service people.
We're fighting overseas to be worried about what's
happening with their wife or their parent. You know, are
they going to get stuck in the home country or my kids not
going to have anybody to watch him while I'm here defending
the country, right? So they've granted this Parole in
place, which is a legal fiction, which is saying these
people now have legally entered the country. Once you get
that legal fiction. You can apply for a green card through
an immediate relative of a US citizen.
Parent or adult child and some other immigration attorneys
have tried to broaden this use of her own place because it
actually doesn't say it's only good for military families.
Like I said humanitarian parole is very brought. So I've
used it or cases where for example, I have a client who is
the innocent bystander victim of a gunshot shot in the neck
paralyzed quadriplegic can't move out of bed.
Well in order for him to get his green card through his
citizen wife, he would have to go get a waiver.
Go to Mexico ciudad Juarez wait for an interview and then
come back in. He can't move out of his bed. So I've asked
immigration to Grant parole in place so that he's as if he
entered legally may be able to apply for a green card for
it through his wife shockingly that's taking over a year
already for them to even it still haven't made a decision.
I thought it was a no-brainer. So anyways, what we need is
President Biden.
Because he showed us through the last couple years that
through his own executive action using this law. He can
grant parole and work permits hundred thousands hundreds of
thousands of people and that's great. But he also can do it
for all the people that have been here all these years
paying taxes owning homes. As Emma. Lozano said the second
highest number of tax amount of tax that comes into the
city is from Little Village. So, you know, don't tell me
they haven't contributed to this country last thing. So
President Biden can do it. The question is Willie do it.
The only way he's going to do it is through pressure,
right?
And that's why I really want to thank alderperson Puentes
for getting this ball rolling. Hopefully the city of
Chicago and many other cities will let them know in DC that
this is what we want and this is what we expect from a
Democratic president. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Mr. Bergen.
Our next presenter is nd I'm honored if you could introduce
yourself in title and you got 5 minutes. Good morning
everybody. My name is Andy almond or and I am an organizer
with the resurrection project until 7. And I am the proud
daughter of Mexican and Haitian immigrants.
Two kind of continue from where my colleague from what my
colleague was saying parole expansion from the B
Administration provides work permits protection from
deportation opportunity for undocumented people to benefit
from the contributions from the years of contributions that
they've had in to our communities long-term undocumented
folks pay billions of dollars in taxes are essential parts
of the workforce. But continue to be excluded from forms of
relief Administration has shown that it has the power to
expand parole without Congressional approval you using the
authority that we just talked about its use this power to
allow about half-a-million new arrivals to live and seek
safety and refuge in the United States over the last two
years.
He faltered able to work legally and provide for their
families with dignity and are not just limited to the jobs
that pay under the table and get away with lower wages
often and unsafe work environment and possible exploitation
all immigrants deserve to live with dignity and should not
be forced to live under the shadows of these 11 million
undocumented folks many of them are students in youth. So
like I said earlier as well each year fewer and fewer
students graduating from high school and college are
eligible for the DACA program Live program provided
millions of millions of something you thought were brought
here by their parents an opportunity to live to have work
permits to live here with dignity and be protected from
deportation.
About 60% of students who are undocumented currently in
college as of 2021 are ineligible for DACA and will
graduate without an opportunity to work legally in the
United States not being able to use their skills to be able
to contribute back into the society's this number continues
to increase and this is just a number that we know for
students that are in college. So we know that this number
is probably larger of just the general youth youth
population and folks that are that age students and youth
undocumented students and youth are a very diverse group of
folks on Monday represent the diversity that exists in the
document to community 46% of them in the United States are
Hispanic 27% Asian, 14% black and 10% White.
These students deserve to graduate and find jobs legally
without the anxiety of not being able to use their skills
and the investment that they made for themselves by going
to college and to be able to live without fear of
deportation their parents in their peers. Is there the
dignity provided by work permit as well?
New arrivals also deserve to have work permits and to be
able to live safely in the United States are asking about
Administration to use their power to Grant work work
permits for all using his his his authority to Grant parole
or asking the city council to pressure the vitamin
Administration to take this action.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Our next presenter is Jacqueline Villanueva from Chicago
workers collaborative. She could share your title as well.
And you've got 5 minutes. Thank you. My name is Jacqueline
the attorney at Chicago workers collaborative for the past
20 years of Chicago workers collaborative staff has
dedicated itself to serving thousands of low-wage workers
and their families many of whom are immigrants and labor as
temporary staffing agency workers. It has long been the
reality that the most vulnerable workers are. Also the
least protected. I am an attorney in it in the working at
Working Families Legal Clinic in their Employment Division.
Our organization has Decades of experience and Prosecuting
hundreds of hundreds of cases weights violation
discrimination sexual harassment child labor violations,
unsafe working conditions and other violations of labor
laws.
Many of these cases were cases brought by immigrant workers
undocumented immigrant workers.
It should not be any surprise to any of you that the labor
law violations are prevalent amongst undocumented workers
the lack of work authorization fear of detection by the
government and threats to report to immigration officials.
Keep workers from coming forward to denounce the unfair and
unsafe working conditions many are subjected to these are
the same workers who during covid-19 essential workers the
workers who drive the US economy the same hard-working
people who have been here for decades paying taxes
contributing to a Social Security fund. They may never be
benefits from and waiting patiently for some kind of
immigration relief.
We are now seeing one group of the migrant workers being
threatened to be replaced wholesale by another group of
immigrant workers who now have work permits individuals who
have labored for companies for years are now being
threatened with termination from one day to the next don't
get me wrong. We in no way objected to any group receiving
work permit, but we need authorization for all we need to
level the playing field and Grant parole and permanent work
authorization for all immigrants including the
More than 11 million undocumented immigrants in this
country. This is an urgent issue affecting workers
Nationwide and must be quickly addressed in order to avoid
the creation of another crisis.
We've heard from many today about the difficulty of
obtaining work authorization the correct way or the way
that exist right now. We've heard from individuals today
that have stood before you and and commented about how
their parents are living in a different country despite the
fact that they're American citizens spouses were in a
different country despite the fact that they're married to
an American citizen. It is not easy to obtain these
documents created work providing work permits to all will
have a profound impact on many workers lives. We have
Chicago workers collaborative have seen firsthand the
impact and approved work permit has on an individual's
life. We have been very active and assisting a group of
workers with deferred action for Libra horseman in
situations. Where work Peace by Layton has identified has
been identified and an investigation has been commenced.
This is a new streamlined process for workers involved in a
labor.
Dispute and their workplace to request temporary protection
from deportation and it provides them the ability to also
obtain a work permit many of the workers have been
successful in securing work permits and these protections
have empowered these immigrants to address serious
workplace violations, which in turn leads to improve job
quality for many workers.
I do not sit here only because I do not say here only
before you as an attorney who works for a great
non-for-profit who does amazing work for the community. I
am also here as a proud daughter of an immigrant and the
price pound wife of an immigrant. I can personally attest
to how a piece of paper can change your life and how
difficult it is to obtain that piece of paper.
I leave you with this when I was asked why I wanted to
become an attorney on my law school admission. Essay. I
remember writing that I wanted to be the voice for those
who felt they had no voice or those who spoke and we're not
heard I sit here before you today alongside many others in
this room who do not have access to you are asked is the
same.
Maintain Chicago a sanctuary City welcoming to all approved
this resolution and take this plea to President Biden you
be the voice.
I want to thank our presenters for a your presentations and
all the amazing work you do especially in this moment. I
want to make sure I open it up for our colleagues who have
questioned. We have a small amount of time for questions if
colleagues have any
Okay there being no questions. I want to defer to the
resolution lead co-sponsor. All the person and went has to
close down before we take a vote to recommend passage of do
I thank you. Sorry. My apologies Alderman Byron, sigcho
Lopez have a question.
Thank you chairman. And I think I just want to make a
statement before we would take a vote. I think there's
being
a lot of misinformation being spread around the sanctuary
City status on a thing. This is step towards addressing.
The inequities disparity is an injustice in our community
is started by a strengthening for Century City status by
complimenting these with something is long overdue which is
to deliver the promise made to undocumented residents by
dividing Administration since 2008. We keep waiting I just
want
But why this is so important for our communities and I want
to encourage your colleagues to look at the facts.
And instead of trying to fuel the divisions in our
community that I come in a very difficult time. We have 11
million people who are undocumented. I think some members
on the public with the number much higher in the city of
Chicago. We have hundreds of thousands of residents who
could be hurt by the Striking the sanctuary cities start a
Century City stars that was delivered by no other that
mayor Harold Washington in a Rainbow Coalition. Give us a
blueprint what the city council should be discussing today.
So I want to be clear just to make sure enough thankful for
all the person Puentes for being in solidarity with us.
I-41 someone who came as a minor at 17 years old to this
country and I'll tell you that in council chambers while we
like to see his actual representation of our commune.
A people who speak on the facts and the truth of the matter
and the truth of the matter is that we are not the enemy as
someone mentioned in in the audience, but we got to see
here that is capitalism a systemic racism. Continue to be
the enemy of our communities. They're trying to pit us
against each other and I think this is a step in the right
direction to the manor President Biden to use executive
power to deliver on the promise that was made 15 years ago
to our communities and secondly that we work with governor
pritzker and other elected officials who locally to develop
programs that connect work opportunities to our communities
across the world black and brown. We also going to be
remiss not to mention that we are to Chicago was found
them, but I hate you and immigrant.
So if we look across the road we look at history. Look at
the facts. I want to remind my colleagues that we have a
city where we protect the human rights of every person. I'm
glad to see you don't people here, but I'm sorry that you
got to see some of the doctors that we unfortunate scene 4
weeks the synovia the feeling of fires today. We have an
opportunity to take action news resolution does Justice to
the dreamers are cute testifying to the people who have too
many people who got being being victims of deportation
family separation. And we continue to allow these policies
continue Today Show from the council woman's missing a very
clear message to president biting on the other line.
Officials will it be in custom organization? Because we
have a democratic convention coming to Chicago next year.
Has begun. Fortunately the magnet or republican Governors
to bought PeopleLink humanely and a thing as a congressman
Jonathan Jackson open up a federal investigation on human
trafficking by some of these Republican Governors. So today
we have an opportunity to strengthen what Century City.
Reference questions that actually Empower communities and
get us a cold in difficult times and I will release him to
say that a lot of these divisions actually a very specific
places under arm dealers on those military-industrial
complexes that continue to try to divide us less you a
message of solidarity I will end with this because it was
chairman Fred Hampton. We just remember his assassination
just this week.
And if you do that, we have a responsibility to act in
unity and solidarity when I'm going to Barrel Race season
with more racism. That's my friend. Captain said we going
up here to be challenging capitalism with a black and brown
capitalism. We going to challenge this with solidarity with
actions and to show that is an economy with a zero-sum game
doesn't exist. We can be a win-win scenario. Where are
economies are built by the same for me that we tried to
demonize so I encouraged her colleagues to take a step in
the right direction and strength in Los Angeles city
ordinance Elizabeth upon them for boats.
Acting weird responsibility because that's what we demand
for more residents. One of the man in the public. Thank you
so much. Thank you all.
We'll go to the lead sponsor for the resolution alderperson
Funtastic closeout.
Awesome. Thank you Sharon for hearing this resolution today
in allowing us to have a subject matter here until our
experts here with us today and folks in the box. Thank you
for your solidarity in all of the work you've put in the
decades to protect undocumented immigrant families that
have been here for a very long time. I was sixteen years
old when one of my first political and activism acts was to
hold the Mexican flag to sit on a chair in front of arabel
to church on Division Street to protect and Via Arellano
from Ice.
Because that is what solidarity looks like. It means to put
your body on the line to take a risk to protect the
population.
That does not have the infrastructure and system that
protects them in the first place.
Even with that solidarity and work even with the chat
buddy, he can only child. My mama know elvita was separated
from her son solito who today is a 25th district police
counselor, by the way in my wart.
When we talked about being a welcoming City, we are talking
about those acts of solidarity.
We are talking about showing up for communities and being
their voice when we have right-wing politicians and
organizers to instill fear in our communities.
We are their voice when there are women who go to work who
are exploited or given low wages were sexually harassed and
who are told if you want to keep a job and continuing to
provide for your family and putting a plate of food on the
table to your going to do what I tell you or I will get you
deported.
That is the lived experience of millions of families in the
city of Chicago.
Now currently we are on a migrant mission to properly
settled are Venezuelans with siblings to ensure that they
can get Workers permits to ensure that they have all of the
wraparound resources that they need to be successful and
telephone vibrant life here in the city of Chicago and
they're also families who have been here for decades who
still live in fear of being separated from their families.
Who contribute to our economy everyday?
But I'm not validated are not giving the protections that
they need to truly be able to properly invest in contribute
to our economy. This resolution is a step in the right
direction.
It is to show the country to show the city to show the
right-wing politicians in organizes that their tactics of
instilling fear in us and sewing division between black and
brown or between undocumented communities and migrant
communities will not work.
We are welcoming City and we will always be a welcoming
City.
Until today, I asked my colleagues to support a very
important resolution a resolution that tells our
communities that we have not forgotten about the while on
the my permission a resolution that calls on President
Biden to fulfill the promise that he made a long time ago a
resolution that we can utilize to call on our Illinois
delegation. So every time they go back to DC they also
remember the promises they made on the campaign Trail it is
to show that the city council Chicago has always been and
will always be in solidarity with our undocumented
Community. They deserve parole. They deserve worker's
permit do the very fabric of this city. We are Chicago
because of them. Thank you, sir.
Thank you Auto person franchise. I want to thank you and
your staff for bringing this resolution fourth on behalf of
organizations that do this work day in and day out and I
want to thank everyone who showed up today and ask God to
continue to show up for everything we need to do to make
sure we defend and protect all of our folks are new
arrivals and undocumented population. So thank you all so
much with that can have a motion to recommend approval of
this item.
So moved by other women are not happen worth all those in
favor. Say aye all those opposed say nay.
In the opinion of the chair the eyes have it.
Congratulations all they're planted.
Who set up more? So I will be reporting this out as a
recommendation to pass at the city council meeting on
December 13th, the next final item on the agenda before our
committee is a subject matter hearing on the history of
migration in Chicago with a specific focus on black
migrants as well as a demystification of the welcoming.
Ordnance and Sanctuary titles and types of non-citizens
statuses in the United States
Alright, I hope you are leaving already. We got more to
talk about here. But fair enough. We will know that's
right.
These appointment continue. Are you like that? All right.
We'll get our next eat figures up. Thank you so much
overtime.
Yeah, so we can have the presenters come up front. Thank
you so much.
Not not the best but
state is Elaine, right?
Text Elaine Elaine. Thank you for your for neighbor.
What's going on?
I want to go couple minutes for the presentations to get
set up.
Okay, where to get to this matter as we continue first. I
want to apologize to some of the folks that are here. We're
going to have another follow-up hearing after this to give
you full time to be able to speak. I don't want anyone here
especially folks who are part of our black community and
migrants to be an afterthought. So we will be continuing
having another subject matter hearing with a longer time to
be able to speak to this and we have multiple ones because
I want to make sure of is that people stop looking at the
situation to the Latino issue there many people coming from
countries all over the world. And so we're going to have
this as a as a warm-up of sorts and a start-up I want to do
more with you all if that's okay. Alright, thank you. I'll
make sure we have the respect of our siblings, too.
Okay. Okay, so we will have a testimony each presenter.
Please keep statements to around 5-10 minutes. I'll make
I'm excited that you all are here to educate this Council
and residents of Chicago on these issues. So without
further adieu, I'll introduce all the presenters we have
fasika Allen program director of United African
organization a program coordinator of the Haitian American
Coalition Chicago and Fred Sal senior policy counsel of
Illinois Coalition for immigrant and Refugee Rights as well
as Mark Fleming associate director of litigation for the
national immigrant Justice Center. I want to thank you all
so much for being here first. We'll begin with fasika a
program director of United African organization.
I think I'm okay. Sorry. Good morning. Everyone. Again, my
name is fasika. I am with the United African organization.
We do have some slides. I'll be going through them pretty
quickly for some of the committee members we
Also have our report appear that we are happy to share with
you all but I'm going to just talk quickly about a black
migration into Illinois. So begin with we are an
organization where a coalition of African community-based
organizations that whose mission it is to promote social
and economic Justice and civic participation and
empowerment of African immigrants and refugees across the
state of Illinois. So we do programming in three areas. So
we have we provide almost a full range of immigration legal
services including you know petitioning for family to bring
family members over adjustment of status, citizenship TPS
and the like are we also have what we call a family support
programme which covers everything else that's not
immigration. So supporting families in thriving and
enabling them to thrive.
Their new home, so that is access to resources at access to
public benefits education employment and all of those
things. I just nearly we do public policy. Advocacy on
behalf of black immigrants son. And which is why we're here
today for a little bit about our community as of 29th 2019.
There are approximately 4.6 million black immigrants in the
United States half of whom are from Africa and the other
half of the Caribbean, but this number is projected to
increase dramatically over the next several years by 2016
there expected to be over 9 million black immigrants in
this country. And so that is essentially at the moment one
and ten black people in the United States is an is an
immigrant.
I'm representing a Quasimodo full range of countries are on
the continent and we must keep in mind that as many as
400,000 in immigrants who identify as black in the US
Census also self-identify as Latino. So we must not forget
our black latino brothers and sisters.
This just shows that the proportion of African immigrants
has significantly increased over the last year. So as you
see in the last 10 years there are forty-nine percent of
increase increasing proportion of immigrants coming from
the African continent. How do they come they come mostly
through family-based petition for a US citizen a green card
holder petitions for them to come but we're also represent
a significant proportion of those seeking Asylum, you know
in the past few years we have you know, most of
asylum-seekers being resettled in the United States through
the US Refugee program are Africans.
And then when we look at where you know, what are the
African Community in Illinois, the surface tells us there
are approximately 130. I will say that you know, that is a
ghost under representation right because our community
because of immigration status is afraid to participate in
the census. So while this gives us an idea, that's not a
true picture of our numbers will probably represents just
the people in the Chicago area or in the city of Chicago.
I'm remove primary around Chicago, but they're also Africans
to move in other parts of Illinois including champagne the
Quad Cities Galesburg a Beardstown Evansville. So we have
communities throughout the state.
I'm so most of our community is a is Young about
30% of Africans and their families are under 17th. We have
a large youth population and there's a we also right, you
know have a large population of educated Africans 46% of
African immigrants have at least a bachelor's degree and a
vast majority of us are also in the workforce. That means
we're either employed or looking for employment.
Okay, but being Platinum immigrant also comes with this
challenges, right we are in a country that has the stomach
racism so that often translates to a negative impact on our
communities that include despite being Highly Educated a
community continues to live in poverty is under paid an
underemployed.
Okay also means we are also at high risk for detention and
deportation. In fact 76%
76% of black immigrants find themselves in detention and
deportation based on their contact with law enforcement and
the criminal justice system that's compared to 45% of all
the immigrants. So this is why policies like the sanctuary
City the welcoming city ordinance is absolutely critical
because it provides protection for people who would
otherwise be disproportionately impacted by the immigration
enforcement system repeat that data point for folks about
the deportation in the percentage as far as the police
interactions for folks who live here in the back by three
times more than three times more likely to be detained and
deported than any other immigrant group based on contact
with law enforcement and the criminal legal system.
And then into tension right that the treatment of black
immigrants there's it's been documented. I'm having
technical issues, but that's okay. Okay.
In detention, that's okay. We can skip that while black and
vacuum isn't indoor inhumane treatment to detention and are
six times more likely to be put in solitary confinement to
have medical treatment withheld to be tortured to to have
food with held right? And so although they represent 8/6
per cent of books that are in detention. They are they
represent 28% of people that are experiencing abuse in ice
detention. And then additionally they also tend to pay
higher bonds, right? There's been reports as you can see in
the slides that took the bronze the Haitians for example
are double those of other immigrants Amanda held for longer
times in detention as well.
I know just wanted to point out just recently with the
recent migrants over 111 mauritanians held in detention in
Arizona purely on the basis of not being able to post a
$5,000 bond for each of them. Right and then subsequently
they do put it a good portion of them to and Mauritania as
a country that is now has a crisis around in placement what
people are so
being enslaved
I so would what is happening now, although we hear a lots
that this is a switch the current situation or crisis is
around the migration of Venezuela, and when we hear that,
we always want to raise our hand because we are seeing a
lot of black Americans coming across the border just in our
office, and we're a small organization. We have served over
700 recent arrivals that come from a range of countries,
including Haiti, but also including those from Senegal from
Cameroon from Angola from the Congo from Mauritania from
Ghana and from Nigeria and many more.
I said this is also a crisis for our community.
And you know, this is just some information about who they
are. Most of them are men with most starts in family units
the language that the landscape has also changed a lot in
the challenge with our community is we don't speak one
language. We speak several languages were talking about
Haitian Creole with her French Portuguese Spanish Walla you
name it's right there so many dead languages that need to
be included.
Wow, wow, that's going thank you. But I really want to
highlight some of our current needs right housing does a
huge issue we have been able to house about 40 families,
but there's several over a hundred families waiting for
housing. We currently have over 150 black migrants in the
city shelters yet. There is no language access Louis City
shelter. Any information that is provided in the shelter's
is only provided in Spanish at the police stations. All
information provided is only in Spanish. I'm so language
accent is a critical need for our community. We also have
issues around you need your services IDs just yesterday. We
had over three hundred people outside our door for us to
meet event and over half of them were new. I'll write you
to us like these are not people we serve Pyar
So I was trying to tie myself to and there's also an issue
around representation right? There are we've been told that
there the city will hire people that speak the languages.
We need to represent us in an 1/8 City agencies at City
shelters. But none of that is to our knowledge has
happened. People are still not able to get resources in
shelters in the languages that they need we need
representation in
The mayor's office. We need somebody to represent black
immigrants in the new office of immigrants and migrant
rights and I hope I say that name right? Right. I feel that
these are the key of the city. How are you going to help us
with the housing crisis? And now with the changes made by
the city, how is the city with a step up to make sure you
know, because we're not part of the narrative you always
the last ones to get the services. We need to get the needs
met. So, how's the city going to step up to make sure black
migrants are getting the housing resources that they need
the legal resources that they need in the languages that
they need and provided in a culturally competent Manner and
how we going to be represented as as as the workforce that
is providing these resources and I'll stop there will be
here for questions and answers. Thank you. Absolutely. May
I have some for you if that's okay when I appreciate to I
just
Make record for whoever is doing the timing. It's just a
suggestion. We don't need to put the timer on folks. I want
to make sure that the full time to be able to speak but I
appreciate the attempt.
So how long have you?
How long have you all been doing this work as far as the
African United organization?
The Wizard of Oz 2005 but you know we've been also doing
this asylum-seeker work for a number of years and so it
does, you know a couple years ago. There was a large
migration of Haitians across the border so Us in
partnership with the Haitian Coalition and the Haitian
American Museum have been stepping up to do this work. So
we've been around since then so my 2005 Chevy truck in 17
18 years in that time what has the support from the city
and state look like
that's a good question. Maybe you know some of those that
information is if I've been with organization under 5 years
at least as a staff person, but I know at the city level
they used to be a legion of sorts that supported the
African-American community at over the years that's
position or that
It hasn't been eliminated. Right? So we no longer have that
representation in the city until we would like to see that
representation come back to the city so that we have a
Nissan that can work within the mayor's office took to
support our needs as far as the people that actually work.
Let me be specific the person who actually was there to
help is no longer there. What about funding what funding is
coming from the state from the City Sioux City specifically
since that's where Council this year how much money have
you seen from the city in that time and was recently given
obviously our focus on the migrant issue now.
Wii games with Steve, we recently received funds from the
city that were through another Agency for some legal work.
But other than that, we have not received the refund. So.
Just exist that I'm clear that the legal defense money that
was in past the roof, but you was in organization have not
received any funds at all from the city in support of the
work for you.
Fun to make sure I mention that that also does work around
making sure folks are connected to resources but we have
not received any direct money to from the city that I am
aware of the reason and I'm asking the series of questions
because that is definitely been the sentiment that we've
been feeling here. And so I want to make sure that past
administrations are past administrations and it's an
embarrassment to the city that we have not done.
Necessary, but now we're in a new term and we have a new
Administration. And so I want to know what currently being
done are their meetings. Are you talking to folks to their
funding? What does that look like? What's your experience
been? And how can we improve the real we have been in
meetings with the mayor's team? And that was no organized
by are others that are supportive of us specifically all
the women down and all the women Taylor that have been very
supportive of our community. So they have pushed to have
meetings with the mayor's to not the mayor the New Year's
team to have conversations about the needs of black
migrants. However, we're still in conversation. So we need
to push the city to implement some of the tasks that we're
making a round representation around around resources for
housing and models for doing this work that meet the
unique needs of black migrants will work for everybody is
not necessarily going to work for us. So we've been in
conversation, but I think we're ready to take it to the
next level and Implement our asks met so I got a feeling
you've been ready and so I appreciate that there's
conversation but conversation is an action and so I just
want up for the record want to apologize because I did not
know until last night that they were meetings with the
diaspora the African diaspora. Is it real?
Migraine issues. So I'll do your meeting with the mayor's
office and team is the chair of the committee receive no
heads up at all. And so as we were putting together this
hearing it was chairwoman Dow who reached out and said, hey
we have these meetings. We haven't seen you at and so I
hadn't heard about them up until last night. I will talk to
him and I brought it up. And so I want to make my
commitment to you all the time showing up at every meeting
you all have so it's not just conversation because when we
talked about supporting our migrants here in the city of
Chicago, it means all are migrants all her and documented
population and the fact is not the fact that it's not being
discussed and it's not being front and center of the work
is being done is a disservice not only to you all but two
members of this Council Who start dividing ourselves
amongst black and brown because we don't understand we have
Black Book value that are undocumented that need their
support and it's conversations that are kept in private
that we aren't a part of so I will ask you all since he
ministration is not please. Let me know when every one of
the meetings occur so that I'm there front & Center.
As it relates to the language access information. We've been
pushing for that to get moved for months and I'm not seeing
any movement at all in the past administration or this one.
So you also have my commitment will be moving forward and
make sure they would act occurred in this city because
currently right now no city council member as office has
any service to any language access when we have folks who
need help from from our offices. We can't even understand
you got to figure out Google Translate in a city that has
enough that has so much millions of dollars to get to put
towards base camps and doesn't put towards this work. So I
just want to make sure that I extend our commitment of the
sea to be able to do that work for you. I appreciate that.
Thank you. I appreciate you all.
And now we're going to next one will open up two more
questions, but I want to make sure to get some clarity
there as well and thank you for that work. I messed up. My
colleague will be here to answer any other questions or
bring back any other questions. Absolutely. Thank you so
much for that work. I know you're busy doing work right now
and have to get back to it and so will make sure to
continue do a follow-up meeting as well and report that out
regularly this Council to thank U next. Yes. She want to
go. Yeah, I just walked in. I just want to make a
correction. I'm you may not have known about the meeting
but this issue has been brought up before this committee
and number of times and it's been ignoring so there has
been an attempt to get this question in front of the
administration so we can
Address the issues. I don't I'm sorry. I'm just getting had
to step out for the finance committee meeting but I want
you to put this in the right context about what's going on.
Oh, absolutely. I know that in the working group's you had
you brought it up members of the black caucus and brought
it up the fact that the fact that there are meetings that
some of our members members did not know about when we're
trying to show its solidarity looks like he's a failure and
so I want to make sure that members of this committee were
part of that the members of this committee. Yeah, we're
apart of those meetings. And so the committee is what's the
word I'm looking for a reflected and active in addressing
this issue here today, but there's been a lot of work
that's been put in before this hearing. Oh absolutely no
respect as a chairman you were the first person to mention
it. So I appreciate that.
Next person will have a lien a lot or program coordinator
of Haitian American coalition.
Yes, Alderman Burnett.
Do it sound like you just send as a chairman of your
committee you like to be included in those meetings to be
nice. So basically that's what you just said pretty much on
the record. Absolutely.
It multiple ways.
Emails work to next up Eileen Elliott or a program
coordinator invitation American Coalition of Chicago. Thank
you very much. My name is Eileen LaTour on the project
coordinator for the Coalition of Haitian American
organizations in the Chicagoland area. The Coalition is a
voluntary organization that is comprised of many different
a nonprofit organization working together to build a
community boys for advocacy and improve the quality of life
in the Haitian American community.
These are all the members of the coalition.
Patients have been migrating in Chicago since about the
late 1940s. And as we know I'm sure most of you are aware
that job at sea sponges Southwest from Haiti and he settled
in Chicago and 1700 patients are very proud to be connected
to the city that was founded by one of ours a Haitian
brother the Haitian Market overview.
The Haitian migrants wear under the Del Rio, Texas and the
Mexican border since 2021 doing before the pandemic. So
this route seems to be more of a straightforward path for
them to reach the United States through from Latin America.
In September 2021 the world became aware of this crisis.
And that's when the Coalition we all get together. The
Haitian Congress is the one that's addressing them on
crisis is so we started working to make sure that our
brothers and sisters who can come to this area that they
are welcome that we can find a path for them are
organizations are mostly volunteers. Sorry, we offer Social
Services Legal Services CPS filing Asylum application work
permit translation interpretation. We accompany them to
Services. We have Referral Services. We help them with
housing search information that they can use
We also work with other organizations such as uao and our
organizations. We're not funded we're all volunteers. So we
have to work with other organizations to make sure that the
Haitians they have the services that they need in order to
in order to become stable in this area.
These are some of the pictures we had the Sabo and Halle
Halle is Haitian American Lawyers Association. They did a
pop up in Hyde Park not too long ago and they help patients
fill out Asylum applications and provided the tablets and
telephones cell phones for them.
Haitian American Museum hammock is another member of the
Coalition that's been at work also to serve as the my they
are one of the agencies under the legal protection fund and
they also have the Illinois to Jay Fund and they've been
helping the migrants recently in October with applying for
work permit. So the
Museum and of course the Coalition and Jenna would like to
see that we have dollars in the community to create a
cultural center so that we can serve our community better
at this time. We do not have that. So it is something that
is very important to us that we have a center that we can
receive are migrants. We need interpreter interpreter and
translation services for them City key ideas what she can
mention we need a fire lawyers that can help them with
Asylum preparation and to represent them in court.
Not a pro at this. Sorry the challenges that we Face our
language barrier we have lack of availability of his and we
are speaking staff in the shelters and at the police
station Haitian migrants are I feel isolated. They are not
benefiting properly from the resources available for them.
They do report that the vast majority of the staff that
they encounter our Spanish-speaking for some
English-speaking but some of them can speak in Spanish, but
not all of them housing continues to be a crisis. We need
equity for them language access and staff accomplishments
with the city. We had a meeting that was called alderman.
Dial facilitated the meeting. We had with City personnel.
And first Deputy Mary's or Christina Bassey onise Beatriz
Ponce de Leon Alderman Alderman Hall in the mayor's policy
advisor. We continue to bring to them the issues that are
affecting our Haitian migrants. And by the way, the
majority of the black migrants are Haitians.
Questions for the city we need the stats of where they are.
How many there are how we can serve serve them. We need the
ability to track their pattern. How do we get direct access
to Haitian migrants? What services are being offered to
Haitian migrants? How can the city make direct connections
on our behalf to the same Services as other groups have
been receiving Czar their funding opportunities available
to provide more Equitable Services to our community and
we'd like some clarification on the 60-day limit for a
shelter stay are there plans to build shelters outside of
City Limits. Ideally, we would like to have a shelter and
this is not separating people but to better serve the
Haitian migrants and other black my gun in a shelter
dedicated to them so that weekend.
provide volunteers with language and to help support them
Are there plans to build shelters outside the city limits?
I live in the suburbs. I would like to see the suburbs
also, you know step up and help this with the situation we
At times we encounter children that aren't feeling ill.
So we take step we try to connect them with doctors with
nurses. We have Hannah part of the Coalition Haitian
American Nurses Association. They did a couple of sessions
to check blood pressure is in a check for high sugar level.
We have pregnant women. We have to support I have a young
lady who just came in and she gave birth to twins during
the week you so I'm supporting her with resources helping
her to apply for WIC for the babies when they come home.
She's here by herself. Are we doing assessments for the
migrants such as new psychological physical and mental
help?
We look forward to working with the city and to better
serve our Haitian migrants and to level the playing field
for them in language and staff access and it's in other
resources. Thank you very much for your time. Miss email
sabuku gracias. Thank you. Thank you so much.
One I want to thank you very much for asking listing the
questions out. We will be submitting it to the chair to get
answers from the administration as you're having the
meeting said they not answered those questions.
I'm sorry, you're having the regular meetings with the
administration of that not been answered been able to
answer the questions that are lifted those questions and
have been brought up and our next meeting. We have to make
sure that we get the answers because it seems to me if if
the new arrivals are all coming in the same way. So to
speak buses everything else in the city somewhere
processing is their welcoming folks has there not been any
Outreach about specifically the Haitian population to make
those connections with the organization.
Not really know we don't have that we speak information of
where the migrants are. We work with you and your and they
have more staff. Like I said, we're just volunteers doing
the work with the one organization that has funding that's
helping with the migrants his hammock Asian American Museum
of Chicago, but the Haitian Congress weather crisis work
since we've been doing this. So since the end of 2021, it's
all volunteer. So we don't have the capacity to go from
shelter to police station to locate the those folks. We
have churches in the Haitian community that find
information.
Shenandoah lot of times you see a group of patients. Tell
the other tell the others my phone numbers whose me?
Is sort of a 911 within the Haitian migrant Community
because every time I've been doing this since the end of 21
and every one of them do pass my number to two different
folks and as I mentioned when we cannot help them we make
sure that we connect them with organizations that can I
appreciate that cuz I do apologize for asking this is
obviously we wish you would have the funding to actually
have workers be able to do it. But is there not other
volunteers who would be able to potentially get some
information to help processor funnel? It just puzzles me
that when we get reporting's on Friday. Let us know how
many of the migrants are Haitian there's some level of
recording that lets us know. Hey, there's hundreds of them.
And so I'm trying to figure out where that data lives in a
way that could be connected to organizations that are
culturally congruent that speak the same language.
Has any of that question men ask has there been a connection
to those that data?
Target, Aramingo
And that question has been asked and we do have a
commitment from the administration to hire or to actually
diversify the existing staff in the immigration and under
Beatrice so that we can have the Haitian and the African
diaspora population focused as we go through the deal with
this migrant crisis that we have because right now the
Haitians and the other other migrants are separating from
what's going on with the Venezuelan immigration and the
same level of resources and access to information access to
Services needs to be integrated. They somehow need to be
integrated and they're not there and that's something that
we continue to work on. I think this committee can be
helpful and pushing.
This to the Forefront right now. We're just waiting to get
someone hired. Okay. Thank you for explaining that I think
it's me work with Nick Lucius over at the department of
technology and information. We've been trying to figure out
how to work some of the data in a way that could be
helpful. So I really appreciate that and appreciate you all
lifting it up so that we know it kind of help.
Capacity as well as other person who'll be the first of all
thank you cheer up man. I just have some questions for our
esteemed panelist. And first of all, I definitely want to
say thank you for doing everything you can with what you
have and I haven't been to as I was corrected IED the
sweetest mangoes in the world as a result of that. So my
first question is do the data is so scarce. And in the
times hard to gather have you seen a certain pattern in
Chicago as a pertains to housing for our Haitian family. Is
there a consistent pattern of communities that you see are
migrant brothers and sisters hanging out my grandson
Chicago they are in the South Shore core doors. So the
migrants were coming in from 21 up to
months ago housing was one of the most difficult things
that existed for them. So we had to sit at get to the
community and asked you have a room for rent. We had
families living in the room one room, and you know in
Evanston, which I'm familiar with we had a couple
organization that contacted a couple Realtors and they were
able to help a couple fam.
You went with the majority of the families in the South
Shore corridors. They struggled for housing the ones in
shelters now, you know I get calls everyday. When when can
you help me with housing and
I don't have a good answer. I just have to tell them, you
know, we're getting information. So I do know that you
know, our chair has been very committed to Brick + mortar
housing. So I think that that's something that we should
prioritize is housing where there's a lineman in culture
and language. Could you explain 2nd least some of the and
thank you Sharon for your commitment to Brick + mortar. So
let's make sure you don't we can work together for breaking
more of that for a Haitian family. You mentioned the
language barriers. Can you kind of give you expand expand
on that rather some of the challenges around the language
barrier especially for our children who are going to an
integrated in school with some of those challenges been?
So when?
Families need to apply for services for Asylum for work
permit. We have to figure out you know, how many people we
can get that would volunteer to interpret for them when we
were doing Asylum before tps4 the group from let from the
year before I would spend.
About 5 hours plus on the phone with whoever is helping
them filed the Asylum because we had some Northwestern
students. They don't speak Haitian Creole. So I would spend
five hours with one family. Sometimes I had to break it up
and you know a couple of days in the shelters. We do have
report that there are no Haitian staff they call and I help
interpret what they need if they have somebody that's
asking questions. So it's it's an issue. So so just reach
happen in connecting the dots housing. No, hope no homes in
room sharing no language in in schools for our children and
even in the home. Can I also asked you this question? We're
here what has the jobs that you that have been reported
back to you, but typically are the jobs that a lot of
Haitians are working in order to survive in in this
situation.
I'm quite a few of them working restaurants. We had we have
a company. That's a pizza Manufacturing Company in the
northwest suburbs. They hired a few of them. I think they
went through some ups and downs in the past few months.
They let them go to call them back. They have busy time but
they at their manufacturing pizzas. We have a gentleman
recently who finally got his work permit. He got a job in
in Skokie.
They manufacture some kind of containers, but for the most
part it's restaurant jobs. I have one gentleman who touch
base with me. He's been here since 21. He was able to get
his work permit. He was hired by New Trier High School in
maintenance in the suburbs. We do try to connect them. We
ask people. Do you know anyone who has a job with them? We
do have that we had a terrible delay with the TPS some
people waited six seven months. Some people are still
waiting and they had filed beginning of the year that still
waiting for their GPS and work permit. So there's FasTrak
work permit now that I know the resurrection project is is
is is doing and how much was one of the host organization
but they're quite a few of them that they had already done
their work permit and they're still waiting. So the average
to that in which is my neck.
Watching on average. What would you say the timeline has
been for work permits to be issued. But the seven eight
months some of them that were eligible to reapply for TPS
and the new TPS filings. They were waiting almost a year
some of them some 7 months and a certain point they would
get the GPS and it would expire in less time.
Then they had they had last time left in some of the
stories that Haitians have been telling in their in their
flea from I-81. What if some of those reasons band and what
are some of those experiences that you've heard in the
urban areas in the outskirts around there the 85% control
by gang and we have weapons flowing in Haiti. We have young
men walking around with certain weapons do army grade
weapons $5,000. Where did they get it from? So we have some
higher-ups funding some of this instability in the
beginning of the year the first six months of the year more
Haitians died by gun violence kidnappings, then died in
Ukraine. What does an active War while the games are
what time could you say that one more time? Please? Could
you say that one more time? The death rate more Haitians
died in the first six months of the year then in Ukraine
where there's an act of War Haitians kidnap women's our sub
suffer sexual violence. I just have my cousin. He has a
house outside of Port-au-Prince call Mariani, and he had to
leave the house and flee to leveling Jack mail. Just wait
it out.
Because they're expanding their territories. Also including
first of all, I just want to say thank you for you know
sharing and you know, the things that you've seen in the
cross that you carried have been beneficial to so many lies
so we can thank you and your entire team has has done so
much with so little I just want to say that, you know in
this journey of advocacy for all people, you are a part of
this family in Chicago and the displacement the dishonor
and sometimes the disrespect again, I apologize and so we
together as a collective same energy to 2930 mid the same
energy will be spent to make sure that I hate your brothers
and sisters have the same space at the same resources and
most of all the same love. Thank you. Thank you. I
appreciate your comment. Would you mind if we let the other
speakers go first before you open up that okay.
Thank you. I want to make sure we get the other speakers to
present and it will open up so I can continue on questions.
So next up. We have spread south of senior policy counsel
for the Illinois Coalition of immigrant Refugee Rights and
control working. Okay, it is working. Okay, good morning.
Everyone has members of the members of the city council on
Fred's on the senior policy counsel with the Illinois
Coalition for immigrant and Refugee Rights my job over the
next.
Minutes to review about 250 years of Chicago History. So
let's get to it and welcome to the First Community since it
was first settled first the first settled by indigenous
peoples thousands of years ago. I think we need to we need
to acknowledge that the land that we're we're getting on
right now is being fussed roll home of the Council of the
Three Fires the Odawa the Ojibwe and the Potawatomi and
also the the meeting place of no several dozen other Native
American nations as it's been said previously the first
non-native settler in the Chicago region was a Haitian Jean
Baptiste Point du Sable who interesting enough married a
Potawatomi woman kitty kitty howl also known as Katherine
the the new United States government.
Recognize the Strategic importance of this location by
establishing Fort Dearborn and many many other settlers
came to this region mainly from mainly from Europe, but
also from the Eastern United States now, I want to know
here anti-immigrant sentiment is nothing new to the present
day Back In 1855 of Chicago voters elect.
And I'll be by Boon as the mayor on the on the American
party tickets and outspokenly nativist political party
known as the know-nothings. Mehraboon at the time saw fit
to try to increase liquor licensing fees and to crack down
on opening hours for Tavern which infuriated the other than
emerging German American population in the city the Germans
organize a protest that the city has been protested as city
council meeting and I'll definitely organize to vote we buy
bun out of out of office during the next elections. So we
have a very early president for immigrant organizing back
in the mid-1850s up migration patterns to Chicago change
the long side of migration patterns to the United States
overall. So after the Civil War of migration to Chicago
shifted to
countries from Southern and Eastern Europe, so that
accounts for the Italians Greeks poll checks Indians of
Jewish immigrants swedes as well as the first Chinese
Chinese immigrants who are who are settling into Chicago
many of these immigrants were fleeing poverty in their home
countries others were fleeing political and religious
persecution and
Chicago was particularly Prime no Prime up area for
settlement due in large part to the developing Industries,
whether it's rails or steelmaking Meatpacking agricultural
agricultural products and frayed manufacturing and also
it's all all these industries provided plentiful jobs for
for new new arrivals also around this time of settlement
houses. Most famously whole house founded by Jane Addams,
but also institutions that still exists today like Erie
Neighborhood House in association house. Where are eating
many of these newcomers in you know, in a culture rating to
life in the United States, no teaching English provide
providing providing citizenship classes providing job
training and job referrals and providing cultural and
social social interaction other Institution.
Important at the time included Faith institutions
particularly the Catholic church, but also a Jewish Jewish
synagogues and in some Protestant churches social and
cultural institutions many of which were, you know, within
founded by people within the communities themselves as
Mutual Aid Association, you know, all of these institutions
were vital in integrating these newcomers in the Life In
The City the earliest 20th century saw the great migration
of African-Americans from Mississippi and Arkansas and
points South. I also wish by racism and economic
exploitation in there and you know in the South but also
drawn by our prospects of work and Community up north and
in in in places like Chicago, I think we need to recognize
fear that many of these new arrivals when they got to
Chicago
FaceTime privation discrimination disinvestment and
particularly in the case of the 1919 riots even violence
and in their new communities butts up and know all of
these, you know, all of these issues are issues that we're
still dealing with and recovering from a decade later
Mexican migration started up around the same time in the
early 1900s.
Really came into a note came in came in came into the full
flower in the 1960s and the decades up until about 2010 or
so. You have settlements were around Maxwell Street, but
then we saw a Mexican communities emerging in South
Chicago. And then of course in Pilsen in Little Village and
throughout much of the southwest side that you know in the
19th after WWII. We saw the refugees coming into coming in
to Chicago being resettled here first after WWII, but then,
you know after the Vietnam War from Southeast Asia and then
you know subsequent the groupings of refugees coming from
Ethiopia, Bosnia Afghanistan and Destroy these Refugee
communities continue to be resettled here here in here in
Chicago and in the United States,
To meet the needs of these new refugees, you know several
new institutions a mutual Aid Association such as Chinese
Mutual Aid the Vietnamese Association. If you have European
Community Association, and of course unit United African
organization emerged under the sponsorship of the state
Refuge Refuge, Brianna Refugee and immigration services,
but also work
Working to develop leadership Within These communities and
you know with all that with each of these instances of
we've seen people coming to Chicago for basically three
main reasons, which I like to summarize that's love work
and fear love me of being being close to family members to
relatives to people from their communities work, of course
being able to pursue economic opportunities jobs supporting
their families sending money back home making new lives for
themselves, but then also fear political persecution
fleeing religious persecution fleeing Civil War and civil
Strife, you know, all of these factors continue to drive my
immigration to the United States into the city of Chicago.
I want to know here as well. That's that
talked about the you have political coalitions yet, but
we've been fortunate to you're in Chicago to have political
leadership that has that has sought to bring together many
of these many of these communities, you know, perhaps the
most famous examples where Anton Cermak who is the mayor
briefly in the 1930s who built Perhaps Perhaps the first
multi-ethnic and multiracial coalition.
You know, you know Ava of Chicago residence, if you know,
you know, including bringing in bringing an
African-American Chicago residents into it into its
Coalition. So it wasn't just the Eastern European said
mayor Cermak was working with so unfortunately he was he
was assassinated in 1933. But then the other the other
prominent example is Mayor Harold Washington a glue also
built at a multi-ethnic Ross multiracial coalition to get
out to enough to try to bring Equity to to know to the city
and it was of course m Washington who signed the executive
order in 1985 that created the sanctuary City policy. How
does tell this came about really briefly during the night
there during the early 1980s under the Reagan
Administration. We saw a lot of immigration enforcement
activity with the full cooperation.
Are the Chicago Police and the breaking point happened when
a city employee was hassled on her way to work it turned
out the city employee was a Puerto Rican US citizen, but
fortunately May or Washington and the cook and his
Coalition of saw that this was this was not the right thing
for the city. So he issued he issued the executive order in
1985.
Play three main points here. No inquiries about immigration
status, no sharing of immigration status information and
equal access to city services and programs regardless of
status. So this executive order was renewed by after me a
Washington's death by Mary Sawyer and then by Mayor Daley
and then they are daily soffits to enact this executive
order into city ordinance in 2006 in the largely unchanged
and then we built upon we built upon that ordinance in 2012
mayor Emanuel let the efforts to Rebrand its ordinance as
to welcome city ordinance and to expand it further to sever
ties between the city of Chicago and what what what became
ice and then finally in January 2021 mayor Lightfoot
working in Coalition with many of our many of our
organization.
Saint Mary of our allies in into city council. Thank you
Carlos and I'll pass the latest version of the welcoming
city ordinance on an overwhelming vote of 41 to 9. So app
for further details about that. I'm going to turn this over
to mark on to provide more of the policy background for the
for the Ordnance, please.
Yes, thank you for this opportunity here and participate in
this is important discussion. I'm Mark Fleming. I'm the
associate director of litigation at the National Emergency
Justice Center my work focuses on interior civil
immigration enforcement in over the last decade plus I have
provided technical assistance on the Drafting and
implementation of sanctuary laws around the country
including the 2012. Welcome city ordinance and its
subsequent amendments.
I'd like to spend my limited time explaining a couple
things number one what the dramatic change in federal
immigration enforcement that gave rise to the welcoming
city ordinance amendment in in 2012, give an overview of
the principal components and who it protects and why number
3 why remains critically important to the pub table Public
Safety in the social fabric of our families communities and
the city itself, but at the outset I would like to clear up
one of the most serious misunderstandings and in that is
that the walkmen city ordinance is somehow related to or
contributing to the current humanitarian challenges posed
by the influx of recent migrants rivals.
Welcoming city has no relevance to and provides no material
benefit to recent migrant arrivals. Those arrivals have
either been given permission by the federal government to
enter the United States typically in the form of parole and
impossibly going forward temporary protected status or
their impending immigration proceedings under the
supervision of federal immigration officials where they may
seek Asylum or likewise be eligible for temporary protected
status. These are not the categories of immigrants that the
welcome city ordinance is designed to protect
our beef you repeal the welcoming city ordinance. You would
instead cause grave harm to the long-standing Immigrant
communities here in Chicago.
So what is what is the context that gave rise to walk in
the city ordinance in 2012 as Fred said in 1980 in the
1980s. There was a collaboration between city of CPD and
immigration officials. But after that moment in time, there
was a break there such that for a number of decades ice
officers are ins officers before them generally conducted
interior enforcement either on their own or by assuming
custody of individuals from state and federal prisons. And
what what that means is these are individuals who are gone
to the criminal process process received you process and
had been convicted of a criminal offense that led to a
prison sentence of at least one.
However, in October of 2008 has launched a radically new
enforcement strategy called secure communities has an
information and fingerprint sharing program anytime the
Chicago Police Department or any other law enforcement
agency conducts a background check in the United States a
person's fingerprints and biographical information or sent
to the Federal Bureau of Investigations. The FBI under
secure communities the FBI automatically share that
information with ice in real time for possible civil
immigration enforcement and then ice will follow that up
with an immigration detainer to the local law enforcement
agency requesting that they detain the person for up to an
additional 48 hours after their Authority expires so that I
can assume custody.
Ice originally sold this program is voluntary and targeted
only eight individuals who had been convicted of serious
criminal offences critically here. What's the cure to means
did is it moved Isis enforcing moved immigration
enforcement to the front end of the Criminal Justice System
where could identify individual prior to any charges any
trial or any conviction sweeping up people just for having
an encounter with local law enforcement.
In 2011 then Illinois governor Pat Quinn sought to terminate
what he thought was Illinois's voluntary participation in
this program complaining to ice that was they were seen in
the data is is that they were sweeping up disproportionate
people with no criminal record or very very minor
interactions with the criminal justice system and that that
was tearing our communities and our families apart instead
of honoring our request to opt out. I said, no, we're
making this mandatory on you and everyone else in the
United States as a result what Isis done is is made law
enforcement Nationwide force them to contribute to civil
immigration enforcement and by definition making them
Frontline immigration officers every single time. They have
any interaction with community members.
To give us a sense of the vast scope of secure communities
from October of 2008 when it started to February 2015, when
ice finally decided it was not in their best interest to
continue to report the data. They had screen over 47
million fingerprints Nationwide for possible immigration
enforcement the vast majority of those were likely US
citizen but as my own work has is demonstrated many times
US citizens.
I got swept up in the secure communities program in
detained for weeks and sometimes years.
At this point it's very likely that it's well over 100
million fingerprint checks and biographical information
that ice is checking.
I think the important thing is to remember is that secure
communities and it's fingerprint and data sharing program
is still happening in Chicago, even with the welcoming City
organs because they have made it mandatory on the backend
in. It is radically transform local police's relationship
to our communities by in effect making them them Frontline
immigration officers and making it possible for even basic
interactions with CPD to tear families apart permanently
and not surprisingly then long-standing immigrant
communities that have expressed deep fear of even
contacting the police even when they are victims of crime
and so it's these it was this fundamental change in
Immigration enforcement that we were seeking to address
with the welcoming City organs.
these are
so these are just the key components of the welcoming city
ordinance. It is built on what what Mary Washington did
back in the 80s, which is that CPD would not inquire about
immigration status that CPT would not hold people extra
time on an ice detainer requests for civil immigration
enforcement. It limits ice has access to individuals ncpd
custody for interviews and transfers for non criminal
matters a Hibbetts CPD from communicating with eyes
regarding the impending release of an individual from
custody.
The things the Welcome Center doesn't do is very important
to keep in mind. It doesn't block Ice from conducting its
own enforcement. In fact, it doesn't even stop the sharing
of the secure communities information to Isis still wear.
Every single time. Someone is arrested in the city of
Chicago in which they could do their own enforcement if
they felt it was necessary in and most importantly it also
does not limit cooperation with any ice criminal matter
though. That is very small subset of the work that I see
when does
Who does the weather in city ordinance protect it right a
protects long-standing Chicago residents. There are at
least four hundred and twenty five thousand undocumented
immigrants in Illinois, though. There are many estimates
that it's quite higher.
And as I said, it also protects citizens often because ice
make tons of mistakes the databases that they used to make
these decisions to arrest people are deeply flawed and
incomplete as some of my litigation has demonstrated nearly
77% of those who are undocumented in the city and in the
state have been here for a decade or longer. It's a
long-standing members of our community in the often live in
mixed as households. There are at least three hundred
thousand US citizen citizen children in Illinois to have an
undocumented parents in it's over 4 million Nationwide. I
think it's important to say if if a parent is 24. There is
no meaningful way for that parent to come return lawfully.
The family will be permanently separated leading to war
socio-economic and emotional outcomes for the children and
family members that are left behind and there are many many
studies that show this
In this all ties back to the broken immigration system in
it, and I want to be clear what I mean by that is that
there never was a line for these folks to stand in and
there is not still a lawful passed away 22 illegal status
in the United States for most of these families who have
contributed so much to our community and social fabric of
Chicago, they protrude in so many ways, but just as one
data point that it is estimated that an Illinois
undocumented immigrants have paid paid annually nearly 1
billion dollars in federal taxes in over 700 million in
state and local taxes.
So, why does it remain important is it ensures that all
residents can contact CPD without fear of immigration
enforcement? There's been many studies prior to see prior
to the welcoming City or is it shows that both documented
and undocumented in US citizens who live in immigrant
families feared talking to the police when they were
victims or witnesses to Crime ensure that families are not
permanently torn apart simply because of an encounter with
c p d and I think the other final thing is is that ice
continues to disproportionately focus its enforcement
efforts in the interior on individuals with no or mine.
Criminal records in November of 2023 is that over 70% of
individuals in ice custody have no criminal record. Thank
you. Thank you very much for the members here and Chambers
to let you know once this committee hearings over we will
then shortly. I'm going to be late beginning with the
Workforce Development Committee for those that are here
quick question before you go to alderwoman. Can you go back
outside, please?
So I just want to get your take as an attorney because I've
heard and talking to folks people refer to it as a broken
immigration system would like to counter that and see your
get your thoughts of whether it's a broken system or system
that's working as intended. But for whom is a question were
talking about when you got a system that picks and chooses
who gets a fast path to being a citizen getting work
authorization. So so happy that question. Would you view it
as a broken system or system? It's working because not
working for us and I think that's a very fair question post
the 1996 changes to today immigration laws, which were all
Draconian enforcement Provisions. I think half of the half
of the political
Elected members in in Congress would view it as the system
is working or we have already in the system the tools that
we need which is cracking down on enforcement and not
providing legal pathway. So I agree with you that broken
and only in the sense that for decades now, even though
we've we've absorbed and integrated into our communities
and into the economy never the last we continue to not
provide them lawful Pathways to fully participate in this
in this Society. So in some regard as taxation without
representation when you got undocumented folks you clearly
take into a system of government and he said 700 million on
the federal level. It is estimated that that undocumented
immigrants annually provide 7 billion into Social Security.
Do you want to be
That never will see any benefit from that system. So yes,
they are subsidizing incredibly are Medicaid Medicare and
Social Security with very limited access to that that being
only emergency Medicaid and learning a lot about subject
matter and just experience knowing that these folks are
ultimately taxpayers. And what we're doing is impeding the
path from being someone was here to be someone who puts in
money into a system and therefore can do so legally. I
think it's part of the challenge. I'm also want to thank
you for highlighting.
Pertains to members of the undocumented Community who could
very well be witnesses to crimes who can't very well help
in aiding investigation that because they're there had been
a secure communities Ormond 2880p those folks who without
that impediment would provide information to help and
investigations and law enforcement for other crimes as
well. So I really want to commend you for painting a whole
picture as to the effect. I'm especially we have members of
the public who don't understand the sanctuary City The
Sanctuary city ordinance and really don't know how to
separate that from the current moment wherein so I want to
thank you for that very much. I'm now want to open it up
for questions next. We got other women and I have been
worth.
Yankee chair. Thank you Charlie. Wanted to thank you for
holding this hearing and I also wanted to thank the public
who came to testify earlier and our analysts in the box and
also Elder Jesse Fuentes for bringing forward the
resolution to call in our federal government to take action
to take care of not only our new arrivals, but for those
have been
Waiting in the line that doesn't exist is what you're saying
to me.
I wanted to save from the 48th Ward and Edgewater
Andersonville in uptown that we do have a temporary shelter
in there and working with the staffers. We understand that.
Yes, we have not only been as well as but Haitians coming
through and we have been convening nonprofit calls weekly
with by Tina staff and others in the area who are Illinois
welcoming centers, but also Centro Romero and keeping in
touch with them. They also are saying that they have an
opportunity here to connect Haitians with their community
and I just wanted to appreciate that Haitian American
Museum for all the work that you do and the fact is that
you should not be the call center.
For every new Asian new arrival here and it it does we we
want to step up you should not have to work with little
because there's so much need. So please keep in touch with
us to each of the other people especially if we're not very
far from you do let us know what you need as we want we
want.
Be a resource to you as well as locally and also wanted to
say that as our numbers are steady in the shelter, but they
are also rotating out families are finding new homes, and
we're very hopeful for that. But we're also finding that
they're not staying in Edgewater. They're they're moving.
You know, they are not staying in the schools that they
enrolled in and you know in the fall and thinking on Alder
Halls questioning about where we stand Community is in
Chicago. I'm just curious to know maybe from those who've
been on calls about what is the ideal so that we can create
a pathway where there is an opportunity to not only be
oriented the Chicago generally but really to Neighborhood
to community
Where language accesses is easier and also we're a
community is already established. You have any thoughts
about that? I know you are also working with the
administration's I appreciate that that the conversations
are ongoing. Thank you all different. If you wouldn't mind
repeating the last part, please.
The question, I'm sorry, but my question is because in light
of what I understand is that as we re settling the new
arrivals are not necessarily staying in the neighborhood
that their temporary Sheltering in such as in Edgewater. My
preference is for new arrivals to come to our temporary
shelter be acquainted to the neighborhood and rolling are
public schools and then stay but it seems that as we're
accelerating worth work authorization application and
opportunities for people to settle into their new lives.
They're not necessarily staying in the neighborhoods that
they have been placed in in these temporary shelter and you
mentioned earlier that there are communities Haitian
communities in Chicago at something that I'm not familiar
with some I just want to get an understanding of what would
be the ideal path for, you know, you've been doing this
work for so long and I'm just curious about what would be
Your opportunity here in this crisis moment.
So as I mentioned earlier, most of my are migrants on the
southeast part of the city the ones that are in Chicago, we
do have some residents some in Rogers Park. And as you
mentioned they do enroll their kids when doing the shelter
they enroll them in the neighborhood school, then they move
then, you know new school for the kids.
Kind of language the language barrier still. Do you know
it's going to be a another issue at any school that they go
to?
we mention housing and the
the folks that are in the sun on the southeast part and
further south, you know, they tried to make a life there.
They tried to stabilize themselves. So we support them. We
we try to connect them to what they need on. I'm not sure
if I'm answering all the questions that you had.
I just wanted to to lift up the work that you're doing and
also say that in the 48th Ward, we would welcome you to
stay to stay in our neighborhood to stay in our public
schools that have a diversity of people in their cross race
and class and ethnicities and we're in our Public Schools
over 40 languages are spoken and teachers make an effort to
integrate the diversity of of the city in into our
neighborhoods. And I want to see that for our new arrivals
no matter what color they are where they come from and just
to put that out there that we that we welcome you and also
those that are coming.
I'm sure we're together to make all of our city welcoming
for everybody. So an end to the other panelists. Thank you
for coming to really set the stage for what we need to do
which is to continue to work together and see it lift up
the history of immigration in the city of Chicago. So thank
you. Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you for that as well
and both of you for raising up some points that I think the
state could be carrying more on. So we talked about
Catholic Charities who does some of the housing for some of
the shelters we ask for the data to find out where folks
being settled. What population is Haitian because it's Ida
which is that a State Department that I can provide that
data that is not been provided to the city or us as we're
trying to get that information and I think to your point
about suburbs taking on some of this is something that this
Administration members of the council said multiple times,
but if the governor would really help out and coordinating
with other cities in the state, which is also welcoming
state.
Define different populations that are congruent right for
some of the Venezuelan Sprague's ample. You got Berwyn
Cicero Elgin, right that could take on some of the
capacity. The inability to get that coordination going is
also the next causing a lot of suffering right now on the
ground, and so I wanted to thank you for making that up as
well. Thank you. I just before the end of the day. I just
wanted to say United African organization in the Coalition
of Haitian, American, Oregon.
Station for being here today and in just exposing the kinds
of issues and needs that you have. I mean, I think the
bottom line for me is that your urgent need to be
seamlessly embedded into the administration's work around
immigration and that the support that you provide to
migrants coming into the Chicago that you do a lot of times
on your own dime needs to be acknowledged and supported
financially by the city. And so I miss the trim and I want
to thank you for having this hearing today and I'm hopeful
that we can move the needle on the issues that were
presented by these two organizations this afternoon
actually think you all want to go while many will have the
commitment from this committee to just as we regularly
what's happening in the chart of my cremation to also have
regular report house as it pertains to the African
diaspora. It's a nation of other folks as well because we
want to make sure that all our and documented our new
arrivals in front and center and that that's not bifurcated
based on our folks look cuz everyone's going through this
kind of experience. And so I thank you all for the work
you're doing are there any final questions by members of
the committee?
Copies of the presentation and bring public comment will be
provided in the summary documents on Elms after this
meeting and he do the chair follow-ups to do the questions
that were on the side will be sent to otters as we get our
responses. I want to thank all of you who came and spoke
before us know that this isn't a one-and-done we want to
have multiple conversations and multiple public
conversation to continue improving upon the work that's
been done by previous Mayors and its current mayor and
knowing that there's a mission that we have to work for it
and showing what's out there you looks like and it really
thank you for that work. Thank you again for being here to
help us remember Chicago's history and the importance of
the subject matter with there being no further business
before the committee. May we have a motion to adjourn?
I guess I want to stay it's a thank-you. All the first
person went to hear no objection at all. The person went to
some movie here. No objection. So ordered the meeting of
the committee on immigrant Refugee Rights is now adjourned.