Jul 16, 2007 11:29 pm US/Central
Waukegan Votes Not To Reconsider Immigrant Measure
CBS 2's Katie McCall and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
WAUKEGAN, Ill. (CBS) ―
Officials will not reconsider a proposal that could lead to local police enforcing federal immigration laws, a measure that has galvanized activists on both sides of the issue in north suburban Waukegan.
As CBS 2 North Suburban Bureau Chief Katie McCall reports, Monday night's vote by the city council could give police the authority to actually begin deporting illegal residents who are convicted of crimes.
Waukegan police say if they are selected, this program will give them the power to get rid of rapists and murderers who are living in their community illegally. But hundreds of protesters fear that power will be abused.
Outside police with riot gear managed a crowd of hundreds, most of them protesters hoping to persuade the council to vote against a plan to give Waukegan police officers the power to enforce immigration law.
But with a vote of 8-2, including support from the mayor, the city voted to move ahead with the program known as 287 (g), which would allow police to apply for a special program through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as early as Tuesday. Once trained, officers could identify, process and detain immigration offenders they come across on the job.
"I am opposed to 287 (g)," said Waukegan Alderman Tony Figueroa.
"The law is the law," said Ald. John Balen.
Balen initially voted for the measure but tried Monday to bring it back for another vote. Before the meeting, Balen said he knew little about the measure before the June vote but supported it out of respect for the public safety committee that moved the motion forward.
Since then, however, Balen said he's done research and believes Waukegan doesn't need the program to get serious criminals who are immigrants out of the community.
"I think it's a very sad day for Waukegan because we're going to have a very divided community," he said.
In a city with a population that is 44 percent Latino, activists say it will erode trust in the police and result in racial profiling.
"If you yourself fear your own police department why would you go to the police to report that crime?" said Mehrdad Azemun of the Illinois Coalition for Immigration and Refugee Rights.
"I don't think they should have done this because there's a lot of families here that have been here for a while and they have not done no harm," said Elizabeth Gonzales, who opposes the program.
But those in favor say it will allow police to deport violent criminals.
"The people that are here illegally committing crimes should be deported," said Alice Berczy.
"At the bare minimum we need to be able to deport people who've committed crimes," said Brian Jacobsen, who favors 287 (g). "If the argument is that we don't want to deport rapists and murderers that is crazy to me."
A news conference, prayer vigil and rally before the vote drew hundreds of people opposed to Waukegan joining the federal program. About 50 supporters of the measure -- some singing songs like "God Bless America" through bullhorns -- demonstrated across the street.
Police Chief William Biang said being part of the program would streamline the deportation process and cut down on bureaucratic hurdles.
"It has nothing to do with race," Biang said. "This has to do with getting criminals out of Waukegan."
According to a 2005 Census report, the city has about 82,000 residents, with about 53 percent of the population identifying themselves as Latino or Hispanic.
Iris Lobo, 23, lives in Waukegan but is originally from Honduras. She held her 2 1/2-year-old son in her arms at the rally outside City Hall.
While police say they want to deport criminals, Lobo -- like many who oppose the proposal -- said she fears they will overstep the boundaries, leading to abuses against the immigrant community.
"Think about it. For any little reason they can pull you over and ask about your immigration status," Lobo said in Spanish.
Hyde and other officials have said the program would allow officers to start deportation proceedings for both legal and illegal immigrants convicted of crimes such as murder, rape and drug-related felonies.
Hyde has said the city won't participate in raids on employers or community groups, but that the deportation procedures would apply to offenders police encounter on the job.
ICE currently has such agreements with law enforcement agencies across the country, including the Alabama Department of Public Safety/State Police and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. About 75 applications from law enforcement agencies are pending, an immigration spokesman has said.
Josephine Stewart, 54, was among about 50 people who gathered near City Hall to support the measure, some waving American flags.
A lifelong Waukegan resident, Stewart said she's not opposed to immigration, but to crimes committed by illegal immigrants.
"If you're going to be here, do it the right way. Go through the process," she said.
The council voted 7-2 in June to apply for the program, but a member who voted for it then tried to call it back for reconsideration. Monday's majority included Mayor Richard Hyde, who did not vote in the previous meeting.
The Department of Justice will review the city's application and will evaluate the Waukegan Police Department before admitting two officers for this training. That process can take up to a year.
(CBS 2 and the Lake County News-Sun are news partners covering stories in the north suburbs of Chicago. If you know of stories happening in this region,
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