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Waukegan district hosts legal clinic briefing on immigrants' rights; police chief affirms noncooperation under state trust law
Summary
At a community event hosted by Waukegan Community Unit School District 60, an immigration attorney and the Waukegan police chief advised immigrant families about steps to take during encounters with ICE, emergency planning for children, and local police limits under the stateTrust Act.
Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 hosted a Spanish-language "know your rights" presentation in which an immigration attorney and WaukeganPolice Chief Edgar Navarro urged families to document immigration enforcement activity, review emergency plans for children and caregivers, and use legal counsel rather than notaries for immigration advice.
The presentation matters because schools are frequently the setting where immigrant families seek information about encounters with federal immigration agents, and because the Waukegan Police Department said it will not assist federal immigration enforcement under state law, a point organizers said could affect how families respond to ICE contacts.
Belny Contreras, an immigration attorney with the North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic in Highland Park, told parents that Immigration and Customs Enforcement generally needs a judicial warrant or probable cause to detain someone and cannot lawfully enter a private home without a judge-signed warrant or the resident's consent. "Si llega ICE a su casa pida ver esa orden judicial...que esté firmada por un juez," Contreras said, adding that residents should not sign documents they do not understand and have the right to remain silent.
Contreras reviewed practical steps parents and workers can take: keep important foreign documents at home rather than carrying them in public; memorize contact numbers for an emergency contact and an attorney; prepare a notarized "carta de tutela" (temporary guardianship letter) so a designated adult can care for children if a parent is detained; and document suspected raids with names of officers and the location to share with legal providers. She also cautioned against relying on notaries in immigration cases: "No es lo mismo un notario que un abogado," and recommended consulting an immigration attorney for remedies such as asylum, TPS, U visas or work authorization.
Contreras addressed several program-specific points discussed at the meeting: existing DACA recipients may renew but U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is not accepting first-time DACA applications; TPS (temporary protected status) and other humanitarian programs may face changes; and eligibility for a U.S. work permit generally requires a qualifying immigration status or pending application for relief. She urged attendees to verify information with legal counsel and avoid misinformation.
Waukegan Police Chief Edgar Navarro spoke after the clinic presentation and emphasized limits on local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities under Illinois law. "Ninguna ley federal obliga a la polica9a a ayudar o participar en la aplicacif3n de las leyes de inmigracif3n en este estado," Navarro said, explaining the department will not honor immigration detainers that are not supported by a federal arrest warrant signed by a judge. Navarro encouraged residents to call the Waukegan Police Department if they see persons in uniform at a private residence and want to confirm their identity.
District Director Oscar Dupuy opened and closed the event, thanked the North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic and the police chief for participating, and said the district will host a follow-up session in March focused on family preparedness and step-by-step instructions for parents. Dupuy also noted district communications to parents and offered printed resources at the event.
Organizers announced workshops and services: the clinic is starting workshops to prepare "cartas de tutela" and offers consultations; a notary service was listed by an attendee as available at 149 South Genesis Street in Waukegan; and the North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic said it provides legal representation in family, humanitarian and housing matters for Lake and Cook County residents.
The evening included audience questions about how to confirm an agent's identity, whether local police can ask about immigration status during traffic stops (Contreras said local police generally may not demand immigration status), and options to appear virtually in court where available to reduce public exposure. The meeting closed with an invitation to contact the clinic for appointments and a reminder that additional district outreach will follow.
The presentation was informational; no formal district action or vote took place.
