Immigrant rights groups say Lightfoot isn't doing enough to protect them from ICE

Several immigrant rights groups are calling on Mayor Lori Lightfoot to issue an executive order that will add a layer of protection from federal raids.

The demands follow reports that thousands of undocumented immigrants across the country are at risk of being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement beginning Sunday. The threat of raids by ICE has lingered for weeks but has yet to be executed.

"The mayor ran a campaign on the promise that she would end police-ICE collaboration or remove the loopholes to the current Welcoming City ordinances," said Rey Wences, a member of Organized Communities Against Deportation. "However, the real threat of massive raids are here and we cannot wait for the next city council meeting to address this issue."

The mayor's office didn't immediately respond Thursday. On Wednesday, Lightfoot said the Chicago Police Department would not assist ICE agents in detaining any residents. She said the city also cut off ICE from accessing any Chicago police databases.

Wences said only removing ICE isn't enough.

"There are so many subagencies within the [Department of Homeland Security] that can also carry out raids," Wences said. "This executive order asks that any agency under DHS is denied access to the databases in the city."

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