Committee on Health and Human Relations
July 22,2020 City Council Meeting
RESOLUTION: EXPRESSION OF OPPOSITION TO CITIZENS ACADEMY TRAINING TO BE HELD BY IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IN CHICAGO
WHEREAS. On July 8 an email from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) inviting Illinois stakeholders to participate in the agency's new Enforcement and Removal Operations Citizens Academy (ERO-ECA) was circulated on social media; and
WHEREAS, The invitation explained that program participants will ''gain insight into the responsibilities of ICE/ERO operations", and "appreciation ofthe issues officers face every day;" and
WHEREAS, The invitation also contained incredibly troublesome language including that the program will have "scenario-based training and exercises conduction in a safe and positive environment, including, but not limited to defensive tactics, firearms familiarization and targeted arrests;" and
WHEREAS. Chicago is a sanctuary city because immigrant rights activists and communities have made it one; and
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago is committed to protecting our undocumented neighbors, and ensuring the safety and wcllbcing ofour immigrant communities; therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, that we. the members ofthe City Council of the City of Chicago, oppose and condemn this effort to recruit vigilantes in our communities and train them on how lo separate families and collaborate in the destruction ofour social fabric; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we demand the cancelation of the Citizens Academy training in Chicago and any other city; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we urge the Illinois Congressional Delegation, the Mayor ofthe City of Chicago and the Governor ofthe State oflllinois to take active steps to work with the chief executives of other cities and states to oppose any trainings or actions that threaten the safety of undocumented people; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy ofthis resolution be forwarded to the members of the...
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