Chicago lawmaker spearheads Democratic revolt to enlist ICE and curb influx of immigrants.
A Democrat in Chicago Takes a Stand: Deporting Criminals in the Sanctuary City
Alderman Raymond Lopez (D-15th Ward), a Democrat in the liberal city of Chicago, is leading a bold effort to address the growing troubles faced by the city as it cares for thousands of illegal immigrants arriving from the southern border. In a recent phone call with the Washington Examiner, Lopez emphasized the need to restore sanity and common sense in the face of the border crisis.
“The Left, the progressives, the socialists act as though everything is just an academic exercise in good government. They don’t realize or appreciate the real-world implications of what they do. Well, the real world has come home to the city of Chicago and the border crisis is in our backyard.”
Lopez, a lifelong Chicagoan, is not alone in his frustration with the city’s response to the influx of 15,000 homeless immigrants over the past year. He is leading a Democratic revolt to bring back ICE, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to Chicago, sending a clear message that egregious crimes committed by both new and old arrivals will not be tolerated. This fight within the Democratic party highlights the urgency of the situation.
“There are certain things that we absolutely do not find acceptable, and that is the purpose of the amendment. When you have individuals who are coming here … only for evil purposes, to be perfectly honest, we shouldn’t protect them. We shouldn’t harbor them. We shouldn’t be a refuge or sanctuary for them.”
Lopez plans to debut an ordinance at the upcoming city council meeting that would allow local police to turn over a broader range of illegal immigrants to ICE, rather than releasing them back into the community. Currently, Chicago policy prohibits local police from cooperating with ICE, even when individuals have outstanding criminal warrants, felony convictions, or are known gang members.
Lopez’s proposed ordinance would enable the city’s officers to turn over illegal immigrants to ICE if they have been arrested or convicted of gang-related crimes, drug-related crimes, prostitution-related crimes, or crimes involving minors. The ordinance has gained significant support, with 20 cosponsors, including both Democrats and the council’s sole Republican member.
“Reopening communication to address criminal behavior will improve the safety of all residents regardless of how they got here or how long they’ve called Chicago home,” said Democratic Alderwoman Silvana Tabares, a cosponsor of the ordinance.
The city’s challenges began in August 2022 when the first bus of immigrants arrived in Chicago from overwhelmed border communities in Texas. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to bus immigrants out of these communities led to the arrival of approximately 40,000 people nationwide, including 15,000 in Chicago.
Chicago, like other liberal cities such as New York City and Washington, D.C., is struggling to handle the border crisis. The city has spent $110 million over the past year in response to the crisis. Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration has acknowledged the problems but has struggled to find effective solutions.
While not everyone supports Lopez’s proposal, he emphasizes the need to set parameters and establish societal norms. “We can be welcoming with restrictions,” Lopez said. ”You have to have a standard that you’re telling people is our societal norm; otherwise, it’s just anything goes.”
As the city council prepares to address this issue, all eyes are on Chicago and the outcome of this rare fight within the Democratic party.
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