Lake County bans use of its properties for staging areas and other immigration enforcement activities

Lake and Will counties are among the latest entities — with more coming — to prohibit the use of their properties for federal immigration enforcement activities.

North Chicago and Carpentersville are expected to join a growing list, including Chicago, Cook County, Evanston and Broadview, keeping properties they own or control off limits for staging areas, processing locations or bases of operations.

In Lake County, signs banning those uses have or are being placed at county parking and vacant lots and garages following pre-emptive action last week approved by the Lake County Board. The signage is being installed at 28 locations.

“The federal government is going to continue the crackdown, but we can't allow them to use our county resources to terrorize our people,” county board member Esiah Campos said during a nearly hourlong discussion preceding the 14-5 approval along party lines.

Campos represents the Round Lake area, which has a large Hispanic population and is among the outspoken critics of the methods and actions of federal immigration agents in the emotionally charged issue.

“I agree with many of the members who said we need to stand up and say who we are and what we care about,” said county board Chair Sandy Hart, who advanced the resolution.

The five Republican board members supported a streamlined resolution suggested by Ann Maine of Lincolnshire, eliminating most of the language, including a requirement that any county employee who becomes aware of attempted actions must immediately notify their supervisor.

“Why don’t we just say our property is our property and it’s for county purposes only?” she asked.

Others said the original resolution was counterproductive and would unnecessarily escalate a back-and-forth with the federal government.

“Let’s pull the horns in a little bit,” said county board Member Michael Danforth of Fox River Grove, adding the federal government has a right to enforce immigration law.

“This (Maine’s suggestion) accomplishes what we need to do without continuing poking the bear,” he added.

Lake County joins other public entities, including Chicago and Cook and Will counties, in banning federal immigration officials from using their properties for civil immigration enforcement operations.

The Will County Executive's Office issued an order Friday with similar bans on staging areas, processing locations or bases of operations in what is becoming standard language among entities that approve the measures.

Will County also requires federal agents to present a warrant before conducting immigration enforcement on county property, remove face coverings and ensure “continuous visibility” of a badge issued by their respective agency.

Monday evening, North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham Jr., will be joined at city hall by Democratic elected leaders and advocacy groups to clarify the city’s role in federal immigration matters and foster trust between local government and immigrant communities.

Hart said she learned of Chicago's action Oct. 9. After talking with the Lake County state's attorney's office and receiving approval from Paul Frank, chair of the board's financial and administrative committee, Hart brought it directly to the full board, which meets once a month, for discussion and a vote.

“I did not want to wait for committees to meet, believing that it is important for us to act quickly,” she said Monday.

She has also asked 19th Circuit Court Chief Judge Daniel B. Shanes to issue an administrative order to prohibit U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from operating in courthouses and surrounding public entries, sidewalks, and parking areas unless they have a judicial warrant.

In a letter Friday signed by State's Attorney Eric Rinehart and the 14-member county board Democratic majority, Hart says victims, witnesses and others are refusing to appear in court.

Though U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement hasn’t attempted to make any arrests inside any courthouses, “We should not wait for this to occur,” the letter reads.”

• Shaw Local News Network contributed to this report