CAIR-Chicago Celebrates Amendment Introduction

Last week, an amendment to Chicago’s ‘Welcoming City’ ordinance was introduced to ensure the safety of immigrants. The amendment, a joint effort by many Chicago based advocacy groups, including CAIR-Chicago, is intended to further the original ordinance’s aim of making the city a safer place for immigrants. According to the new legislation, police officers are no longer allowed to pressure residents of the city with threats of deportation. The legislators made sure to specify that any implications, explicit or otherwise, of a threat of deportation against an immigrant or their family is prohibited. Furthermore, the amendment outlines how police departments are to handle any future violations, which will include making those violations public. Support for the amendment was fueled by outrage over the case of Jessica Klyzek, an American citizen who was assaulted and threatened with deportation by police officers in 2013. CAIR-Chicago was a strong member of the coalition working on the effort. Andy Kang, the legal director at Advancing Justice-Chicago and one of the leading forces behind this amendment, voiced his thanks for CAIR-Chicago’s involvement. “When it comes to issues of people being unfairly targeted or excluded from society based on race or religion, CAIR-Chicago has always been ready to stand with us… they’re a pleasure to work with.”