Oct 3, 2006 10:59 pm US/Central
Crowd Forces Town To Postpone Immigration Debate
3,000 Show Up For Debate Of Illegal Immigration Ordinance
by Katie McCall
CARPENTERSVILLE, Ill. (CBS) ―
A proposed ordinance affecting undocumented immigrants in the northwest suburbs struck a nerve Tuesday night as 3,000 people showed up at Carpentersville Village Hall.
CBS 2 North Suburban Bureau Chief Katie McCall reports that the overflow crowd was peaceful but passionate.
So many people showed up that the board had to postpone the public hearing on the ordinance until the village can find a venue large enough so that everyone can be heard.
A crowd of thousands outside of the village hall Tuesday shouted "the people united will never be defeated." The group of mostly Latinos came to protest a proposed ordinance designed to prevent undocumented immigrants from living or working in Carpentersville.
"Whatever you see here, this is the people of Carpentersville and no one agrees with it," said ordinance opponent Juan Silva.
People in favor of the ordinance blame undocumented immigrants for many of the village's problems, including the cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars per year in uncompensated health care.
"Everything is given to these people nowadays and my parents they had to struggle, they had to fight," said ordinance supporter Ann Waskow.
The ordinance threatens to revoke business licenses from anyone who employs undocumented workers and would fine landlords for renting to them.
Trustee Judy Sigwalt believes that despite the opposition the ordinance has the support of residents and will pass.
"I've lived in Carpentersville all my life," said ordinance supporter Ron Mabe. "In the past 20 years I've seen it degrade to this."
The board said they will find a bigger venue to discuss the ordinance in the next two to three weeks. A number of immigrant rights groups said they will sue the village if the ordinance passes.
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