Resident urges Oak Lawn to issue 'know-your-rights' statement amid immigration enforcement concerns

A resident urged the Village of Oak Lawn on Oct. 14 to publicly reassure immigrant residents and to adopt a "know your rights" outreach campaign after recent immigration enforcement activity in nearby suburbs.

"I am here today because ICE activity has increased in Oak Lawn and escalated over the weekend," the resident identified as Carol Anne said during the public-comment period. She said some community members are afraid to leave their homes and asked the village to issue a statement and a know-your-rights campaign to align with statements and resources already issued by nearby suburbs and Cook County.

Carol Anne noted that several neighboring communities, including Maywood, Berwyn, Forest Park and Evanston, have issued statements and know-your-rights materials and that those statements have included resources such as Cook County telehealth services and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights hotlines. In urging Oak Lawn to act, she said, "Hispanic or Latino people make up nearly a quarter of the population in Oak Lawn, and at least 17 of our population are foreign born. So I'm asking that Oak Lawn issues a statement and know your rights campaign to protect our community and show that we are united with Illinois and Cook County initiatives."

The request was made during the public-comment period and no formal board action or vote on the request was recorded in the meeting minutes or transcript. No trustee motion to direct staff to draft a statement was recorded while public comment was underway.

Ending

Carol Anne's remarks closed without recorded board action; the transcript shows the meeting moved from public comment into regular business. If the board elects to take further steps it would appear in a future agenda or meeting record.