Downers Grove Mayor Speaks Out About His Vote On ICE Ordinance

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — Downers Grove Mayor Bob Barnett took to social media Wednesday to speak out about his opposition of an ordinance that prohibits Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from staging within the village. Barnett said he post comes from his comments "at the time of the vote."

On Feb. 3, village commissioners voted to adopt the Ordinance Concerning the Monitoring of ICE Activities, with Barnett casting the lone dissenting vote.

The ordinance prohibits ICE from using village-owned property and data systems for immigration enforcement. It also states that "The Village Manager is authorized to direct the Village's Police Department to respond to any calls for service concerning potential constitutional rights violations."

Per the ordinance, the Downers Grove Police Chief and village attorney have the authority to enforce the ordiance.

In the post, Barnett asserted that the ordinance does not prevent ICE operations and would be ineffective against preventing "some of the atrocities and tragedies that have occurred during immigration enforcement."

He wrote that "Immigration laws are laws. As such, they should be enforced. If not, they are meaningless."

It's ICE's "current tactics" that Barnett said he has "a problem with," but he doesn't feel an ordinance will be an effective measure against that.

"We've been asked to do everything we can to prevent ICE from coming into our community. There isn't anything we can do...any more than can Memphis, Charlotte, Minneapolis, Chicago, Bridgeview or anywhere else..." Barnett wrote. "[D]oes anyone beliee that J.B. Pritzker and Brandon Johnson wouln't prevent ICE from operating here if they could?"

He continued, "[A]bsent using [Village of Downers Grove] resources to close and defend the border of the village, again - and let me be super clear here - there isn't anything we can do to prevent anyone from being taken by ICE from within the Village of Downers Grove."

Barnett said, "[Y]our village takes the spirit and the letter of the law to heart and based on the Illinois Trust Act, we're not assisting with immigration enforcement efforts."

"Immigration laws are laws. As such, they should be enforced," Barnett wrote. "If not, they are meaningless."

He went on to mention how the village works with FEMA when disaster help is needed and uses federal funds for "infrastructure projects." He also included state partnerships that facilitate FOID card revocations and social services.

"The fact is that on a daily basis government entities work together and share resources across jurisdictions on nearly every subject...civil, criminal, social, technical, educational."

"And frankly, that's the way it should be."

Barnett then pivoted to addressing whether "tactics being used by ICE in some instances are in conflict wth the values of Downers Grove."

"Should we stop working with an entity because it, quote, 'engages in a pattern or practice of using force, including deadly force, in violation of the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution?' That sounds apropos to ICE these days," Barnett wrote.

Citing statistics from the University of Illinois, he added, "that same entity kills 10 people per year, sends 200 to the hospital every year and pays about $5M every year to settle civil rights violation lawsuits. That same entity has had nearly 300 officers convicted for their conduct on the job."

"What if I said that quote and that data is from the Justice Department and the University of Illinois and is in reference to the Chicago Police Department. Should we stop working with CPD?"

Barnett said he could support the second section of the ordinance if it were written to require ICE or similar entities to get a permit, "thereby allowing an operations review prior to approval and setting forth remedies for violating the terms of the permit issuance."

He said section four of the ordinance "is unnecessary as the village has never failed or refused to respond to calls for service."

As he feels the ordinance is ineffective, Barnett urged residents to connect with their neighbors in person.

"It's unlikely you or I, or most of us know or even fully understand the process and implications of immigration law," Barnett wrote. "But as humans and neighbors, we can and should do everything in our power to help and comfort anyone who feels at risk."

"If you're privileged enough to feel safe and confident," Barnett wrote, "make yourself available to someone who might not. Hold their hand and stand be side them. Be an ear to listen and a shoulder to lean on without judgment."

Residents took to the comments section to sound off on Barnett's post.

Joe G. write, "Ice [sic] is welcome to do their job here. I don't pay taxes to the school district to have kids ditch school to march against something MOST of them know nothing about."

Bryan M. wrote, "If the locagl government isn't willing to do anything, then the local government can't be mad if/when private citizens take matters into their own hands."

Molly K. wrote, "This nay not feel like a change to you, but those who have experienced biased or unjust treatment in enforcement settings or elsewhere deserve clarification of what exactly our village will (legally) do. Not false hope, just clarification. This matters."