Batavia considers ban on ICE using city property

Batavia is considering banning federal authorities from using city property for civil immigration arrests.

The city council will discuss the idea at a committee of the whole meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Schielke Government Center, 100 N. Island Ave.

It could prohibit federal agents from using city properties, including parking lots, as staging areas, processing sites or operations bases for detaining people on civil immigration cases. According to a memo to the council, the discussion was requested by three aldermen.

Enforcement of criminal judicial warrants would still be allowed.

Other municipalities, including Carpentersville, have approved such a ban. So have Lake, Cook and Will counties.

State law prohibits local governments from assisting with civil immigration enforcement.