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Resident urges Berwyn to defend 2017 welcoming-city ordinance amid federal changes
Summary
A First Ward resident urged the Berwyn City Council to consider amending local ordinance protections after citing a recent federal bill he said could compel local cooperation with immigration detainers.
Daniel, a First Ward resident, told the Berwyn City Council during public comment that the city's 2017 welcoming-city ordinance protects residents by limiting local cooperation with federal immigration agencies and that current federal proposals threaten those protections.
"The ordinance draws a line between local law enforcement and federal immigration agencies," Daniel said, recounting that Berwyn's ordinance prevents local authorities from investigating or sharing a person's immigration status or detaining someone on behalf of federal agencies except under court order. He said the law "makes Berwyn safer for everyone because it reduces fear, builds trust, and discourages racial profiling."
Daniel cited a recent federal measure he called "HR 7511, the Lake and Riley Act," and said the bill would compel Homeland Security to issue detainers for people suspected of nonviolent offenses and could encourage racial profiling and undermine due process. He urged the mayor and aldermen to "thoroughly consider how this new act from Congress interacts with our ordinance, and to consider amending the ordinance if necessary to keep Berwyn safe." He asked council leaders to stand up to federal pressure and ensure city agents abide by the ordinance's protections.
Council did not take action on the ordinance during the meeting; the remarks were part of the open-forum public-comment period.
