CHICAGO – The City of Chicago and surrounding Cook County received a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice last week, warning them that unless they would assure the DOJ the jurisdictions are abiding by agreements with Feds about their handling of those not legally residing in the United States, federal grant funds could be in jeopardy.
The DOJ said they Chicago and Cook County officials to be aware that they've agreed that a "Federal, State, or local government entity or official may not prohibit, or in any way restrict, any government entity or official from sending to, or receiving from, the Immigration and Naturalization Service information regarding the citizenship or immigration status, lawful or unlawful, or any individual."
The amount the DOJ says is threatened is $2,333,428.
Both Chicago and Cook County officials say they will continue to refuse to alert federal officials about detained immigrants suspected of being in the country illegally unless the requests are accompanied by a judicial order.
“Neither the facts nor the law are on [the Justice Department’s] side,” Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said. “Regardless, let me be clear: Chicago’s values and Chicago’s future are not for sale.”
Emanuel's position reflects the same counsel a group called "Informed Immigrants" is offering on a new training video made available Monday. The video tells those living in Chicago and Cook County what their local officials view as rights for those in America lawfully or unlawfully.
Immigration groups are lauding the new video entitled "Know Your Rights & Family Preparedness Video."
“Right now, millions of immigrants go to bed at night fearing that the next day they may be separated from their friends, family, and the country that they call home," says Juan Escalante, Digital Organizer of America's Voice Education Fund.
"By staying informed, and ensuring families know their rights, we can provide immigrants with the tools they need to protect themselves and their loved ones. Resources like the Informed Immigrant video series will play a crucial role in helping immigrant families plan for the future.”
More on the video HERE.
The grant:
The letter from the Department of Justice:
Rahm: “Chicago’s values…”
“VALUES?” ”
HA! HA! HA! HA!
I wonder how Rahm will look in shackles and an orange jump-suit.
If Chicago wants to write it’s own immigration laws, it should try to secede from Illinois, and the USA.
Then, if successful, we will owe Chicago NOTHING.
The last time Rahm talked about “Chicago values” he was trying to block the construction of Chick-Fil-A restaurants because he was acting as an Obama surrogate and the administration objected to the values of the Christian corporate owners of the fast food business. It was all partisan grandstanding timed for the 2012 elections. Francis Cardinal George weighed in against the mayor. Chick-Fil-A ultimately entered the Chicago market.
More empty rhetoric from Emanuel who is more concerned about pandering to Latino voters than obeying the law.
I am so proud of Attorney General Jeff Sessions for doing this. As Obama crowed, “Elections have consequences.”
Chicago and Cook County as “sanctuary venues” for illegal aliens will only lose $2 million in DOJ funds, in the short term.
But I read that Chicago alone gets $6.4 billion in federal funds annually. It will take Congress to put riders on all grant offers to deprive them of this.
But when they do, it will be amusing to see how the Transportation Alliance, bike riders and the “Friends of the Parks” react when they have to decide whether they value bike paths and fresh air park maintenance, (and patching street potholes) more than they value protecting illegal aliens.
Or whether they value protection of illegal aliens so much, that they are willing to put their money where their liberal mouths are, by enduring massive property tax increases.
That is the corner that they have painted themselves into.
This will be funny!
Too many government administrators in the City of Chicago. The administrators cost the city too much tax money.
Let the police work. Than you will not need so much tax money.
God Bless Chicago
Carl Lambrecht
847 432 8255
Withholding $2,333,428 in crime-fighting funds may not look like much, but Chicago’s refusal to co-operate with Federal immigration laws isn’t “fighting crime,” but ENCOURAGING it.