McHenry board hopefuls debate immigration group

Immigration isn't exactly the foremost issue in McHenry County, but it's an issue that motivates District 6 county board candidate Diane Evertsen.

So much so, the Harvard resident is president of Minutemen Midwest, a local chapter of a national group that promotes strict enforcement of immigration laws.

The Minutemen have attracted attention for volunteering to patrol the U.S.-Mexico border. While the group says it is simply enforcing the law, critics have painted the group as a band of vigilantes that takes the law into its own hands.

Evertsen has not hidden her membership in the controversial group, but she has not broadcast it, either. Many people in her district, including fellow candidates, first learned of her involvement after she announced it at a Young Republicans candidate forum this month.

When asked about her membership, Evertsen downplayed the group's anti-illegal immigration stance and stressed the organization's push to get more people involved in local elections.

"I don't think a group that promotes voter engagement and law enforcement is any more controversial than a bunch of Boy Scouts," Evertsen said. "This is not a group of marauding rabble."

On Feb. 2, Evertsen will face incumbents Dan Ryan of Huntley and Mary McCann of Woodstock as well as challengers Victor Narusis of Woodstock and Richard Draper of Wonder Lake in the District 6 Republican primary. There are two seats up for grabs.

Reacting to Evertsen's announcement, at least one primary opponent seemed to question whether her message was the right one for the local Republican Party.

"Being associated with the 'patriot minutemen' ... I know they think they're doing the right thing, but it does seem a little radical," Draper said.

While avoiding criticizing the group by name, Ryan said, "To report someone who is breaking the law is fine. To go out and take the law into your own hands is not fine."

McCann also avoided direct criticism, saying, "We have a lot of immigrants who contribute to the economy of the county. They're not all illegals."

McCann also suggested Evertsen's participation in the Minutemen may have little bearing on her role on the county board, saying, "Immigration is not an issue the county can directly address."

Evertsen's opponents also questioned why she hasn't spoken more about her involvement with the Minutemen Midwest during the campaign.

"I think she's kept it awfully quiet on purpose," Draper said. "It's never come up on anything she's said."

Narusis said he didn't know enough about the group to comment on it.

"I'm not real familiar with the organization," Narusis said. "I really don't know what they're about."

Evertsen stressed that her group promotes enforcement of the nation's laws and dismissed concerns her involvement would hurt her electability.

"The issues that concern the voters in the district and the issues that concern members of the Minutemen organization are pretty much the same," Evertsen said. "We certainly don't have any lunatic fringe element as members."