By Howard Packowitz

NORMAL – Advocates of a proposed ordinance declaring Normal a welcoming community for undocumented immigrants have encountered a major hurdle.

Normal City Manager Mark Peterson said town staffers, including the police chief, believe it’s bad public policy to prohibit officers from working with federal immigration agents.

“There are so many unknowns, and the fact that there maybe situations where we need to deal with federal immigration officials that are in the best interests of the community, and this ordinance may prohibit our ability to do that, that’s a problem,” said Peterson.

The town council will have a final say on the matter.

“Policy makers have to make the decision, and I know they’re considering all sides of the issue, and we’ll continue to watch what occurs in Bloomington,” Peterson told WJBC’s Sam Wood.

“I’m sure at some point, they’re going to want to have a discussion about it, and make a decision,” Peterson also said.

He added that local police don’t do much work in the first place with agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Peterson said the town is keeping a close watch on the progress of a similar welcoming resolution in Bloomington, where that city’s police chief has raised similar concerns.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]