Immigrant advocates urge Aurora to pursue ‘Welcoming City’ certification; speaker cites Brookings data

Lehi Khalid, speaking during public comment Sept. 16, urged Aurora to pursue certification as a “welcoming city” through Welcoming America, a nonprofit that certifies local governments that adopt inclusive policies and programs.

Why it matters: Khalid said the designation would help the city formalize programs and policies that support immigrant access to civic life, education and economic development, and that doing so would not be the same as declaring sanctuary status. He invoked recent survey findings to argue for stronger local services to mitigate the impact of increased immigration enforcement on families.

What the speaker said: Khalid noted Fiesta Espatrias and other city efforts to celebrate local Hispanic culture, praised staff and volunteers, and said, “I call upon Aurora to become a certified welcoming city.” He referenced Brookings Institution survey data presented earlier that, he said, found 53% of Latino immigrants reported worrying that a family member or close friend would be deported; other figures he cited included avoidance of police or school officials and declines in mental-health measures among respondents.

Scope and process: Khalid described the Welcoming America certification as requiring standards across seven categories including civic engagement, economic development, education, and government leadership. He said Illinois law already limits cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities and that the Welcoming City designation is intended to expand inclusion programs rather than change local law-enforcement obligations.

Council action: Khalid's comments were an appeal to the council; no formal resolution, study directive or vote on the Welcoming America certification was recorded at the Sept. 16 meeting.