Even before President Donald Trump took office, Mayor Daniel Biss declared his deep-seated opposition to his immigration policy, touting City Council’s Jan. 13 vote to further Evanston’s noncompliance with the federal deportation push.
Now, Biss told The Daily, he will continue to weigh the limits of municipal action in his push against the new administration in Washington. Experts said courts would likely strike down efforts by the federal government to strip funding from cities that resist.
“Evanston is always happy to be a trailblazer,” Biss said. “There are other communities across the region that are trying to figure out what steps they can take. I am in touch with leaders from some of those communities. We are all going to be stronger if we act together.”
Evanston will afford further protections to immigrants in the U.S. without legal authorization through amendments to the Welcoming City Ordinance, which Biss lauded in an op-ed printed in the Chicago Tribune Jan. 17.
The changes to the ordinance furthered Evanston’s noncompliance with federal deportation attempts spearheaded by Trump. The city has pledged not to share citizenship data that could be used to deport immigrants in the U.S. illegally unless presented with a valid, current criminal warrant. The Evanston Police Department must also help immigrants who report crimes get visa relief.
In the op-ed, Biss said Evanston appreciates diversity and must protect its residents, but he expects upholding those values to become more challenging during Trump’s presidency.
“People are scared now, given what rhetoric is coming out of Washington and the new administration,” Biss told The Daily. “We have to do everything in our power to protect our residents and demonstrate that we will stand up for our values in this community.”
Ald. Devon Reid (8th) initially echoed concerns from community members who feared repercussions from the Trump administration if the city further defied his anti-immigration agenda. However, after consulting Chief Legislative Policy Advisor Liza Roberson-Young, he expressed confidence in proceeding with the changes.
Tobin Grant, a Southern Illinois University political science professor, said the federal government cannot force municipalities to implement federal law. The government can incentivize federal funding with specific grants but cannot entirely strip funds for noncompliance.
Grant also said nearby municipalities might consider the outcome of Evanston’s amendments and replicate them if they are successful. He added that the move is also beneficial because immigrants without legal authorization are more likely to report crimes to the police without fearing repercussions due to their status.
“My reading of what Evanston is doing is that they are not saying that they won’t comply with a warrant or something that goes through a legal procedure,” Grant said. “They’re just saying, ‘We’re not going to do the law enforcement for you.’”
William Adler, who teaches political science at Northeastern Illinois University, said Trump attempted to cut off federal funding to sanctuary cities during his first term, but courts struck down those measures.
Adler added that Biss is politically ambitious and ran for governor in 2018, so the move could also further those aims.
“This helps get him in the news and raises his profile politically,” Adler said. “I’m sure he wants to win the fight of substance. He cares about the substance — I’m not suggesting otherwise. But it’s also good for him politically to be on the forefront of something like this.”
Biss said he does not expect a loss in federal funding, which Evanston relies on for housing, sustainability and infrastructure, to hold up in court. He also said he has spoken regularly with officials in other cities to advance collaboration on this topic.
The mayor added that Evanston appreciates every person in the city regardless of citizenship status and that each resident is an equal “stakeholder” in the community.
“We have to stand up for our values, fight for what we believe in and have a vision of society consistent with what our residents want,” Biss said. “As soon as we start leaving people behind out of fear, we are not making good on that commitment.”
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— City Council amends ‘welcoming city’ ordinance, broadens protections for undocumented residents