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Residents urge council to oppose ICE activity and raise domestic-violence concerns during public comment
Summary
Two residents used the public-comment period to ask the council to limit federal immigration enforcement on city property and to raise urgent personal concerns about domestic violence and access to health care for their children.
During the public-comment period, two speakers addressed the council on separate community concerns.
Ken Temkin told the council he returned from a trip to find increased federal immigration-enforcement activity in the region and urged Highland Park to coordinate with neighboring municipalities to restrict ICE activities on city property. Temkin cited recent actions in Chicago, Evanston and Will County and recommended the council promote a family-support hotline run by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights: "Call the family support network to report ICE activity or connected, or to be connected with services if someone you know is taken by ICE," he said, reading the hotline number.
City staff offered a follow-up: Presiding officer Bloomberg invited Temkin to leave contact information with the city manager for staff follow-up.
A second speaker, Renee Bolfe, described personal and family safety concerns that she said amount to domestic violence and alleged community interference with her family's access to health care. Bolfe asked for help and described long-term impacts on her children, saying they lack health insurance and access to therapy. The council did not debate the merits of individual claims during public comment; staff offered that speakers may provide contact information for follow-up.
No council action was taken during the public-comment period; staff offered to follow up with individual speakers when appropriate.
