Joliet A Sanctuary City? Council Must Declare It Is Not, Clement Vows

JOLIET, IL — In the absence of no-shows Cesar Guerrero and Cesar Cardenas, the Joliet City Council voted 7-0 this week to impose gigantic fines and impound buses for companies showing up in Joliet to dispose of asylum seekers coming to America seeking a new way of life. However, the comments of Councilmen Joe Clement and Larry Hug were a huge hit with the large crowd in attendance for Tuesday night's meeting.

Clement wants Joliet to take another vote in the coming weeks to let everyone know that Joliet is not a sanctuary city.

"I think we need an ordinance that says everybody knows that we are not a sanctuary city," Clement suggested, drawing a loud applause from the audience. "This is step one, and I commend you (Mayor Terry D'Arcy) for doing this and our city manager."

After Clement finished his remarks, Councilman Hug spoke. And Hug's comments also drew numerous cheers and claps from the audience, who liked what he said as well.

"The way I look at it is, thank you Councilman Clement, for pointing out that it is a federal (issue). I think you stated the obvious. As a Council, it is not our job to protect the country's borders. It is not our job to protect the state's borders. Apparently, nobody in the state or the country wants to do it, but it's not our job," Hug remarked. "It is our job to protect the borders of Joliet from dangerous situations. So Mayor, I do agree with it 100 percent."

Regarding the new ordinance punishing bus companies trying to drop off hundreds of asylum seekers in Joliet, Hug went on to say that "several of you folks said who's going to have oversight for it? You. Me. The citizens. Very few crimes are observed by the police. They're called to the crime scene by a witness. If it's 4:30 in the morning and you woke up in the middle of the night because of a bump in the night and you see suspicious activity, yeah, there's no standard Coach Line that's going to be in an alley at 2:30 or any street at 3:30 in the morning.

"So when you see something like that, call 911 as the mayor already instructed," Hug continued. "Police will go there and that bus has to produce whatever the chief will be handing out showing approval of his application and if not, he's going to have to pay the consequences which also could include taking his bus."

Hug also reminded everyone, "the police, there are only so many of them. We need to be vigilant and when you see some suspicious activities, do not hesitate to call."

Related Joliet Patch story:

Joliet: Buses With Asylum Seekers Now Face Fines, Impoundment