Preckwinkle issues executive order to create ‘ICE-free zones’ in Cook County

Cook County will now prohibit the use of county owned property, resources, and personnel for civil immigration enforcement.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said the executive order is yet another move to safeguard against federal immigration enforcement she said has “instilled fear rather than promote fairness and justice.”

Agents have been prohibited from using county facilities and personnel time for ICE investigations without a criminal warrant since an ordinance was put in place in 2011.

“It is critical that the government’s interactions with the public adhere to our nation’s laws and values,” Preckwinkle said in a statement Thursday. “Yet, ICE’s increasingly aggressive, inhumane and unlawful actions continue undermining the safety and stability of our communities. We will do everything we can to ensure all residents receive fair treatment and our communities are safe from harassment and intimidation.”

The Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection all did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

It’s the latest local effort to establish “ICE-free zones.” The Chief Judge of Cook County barred civil arrests at Cook County courthouses and Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order making it so that city property — including parking lots next to Chicago public schools, libraries, parks and city buildings — cannot be used by federal agents as staging areas.

Earlier this week, the Evanston City Council unanimously adopted a resolution barring federal immigration agencies from using city property, expanding on its existing sanctuary city laws and similarly looking into signage and enforcement methods, though the latter has yet to be set into law. The resolution directs city staff to identify potentially vulnerable city properties and close them off with physical barriers, such as gates and locks, when possible.

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