By Rebecca Brumfield/WMBD-TV and Howard Packowitz
BLOOMINGTON – Several local groups supporting immigrants’ rights are trying to pressure Bloomington city leaders to restart discussions about a welcoming city ordinance.
They will be fasting to encourage aldermen to “come back to the table” and show solidarity with undocumented families who they say don’t have a seat at the table.
They’ll demonstrate outside Bloomington City Hall Sunday at 6 p.m. and again on Monday, one hour prior to the city council meeting.
The groups say they want Bloomington to be safe for everyone, including so-called Dreamers, but the city council ended conversation about protecting undocumented immigrants after dropping the topic from their agenda, according to “Not in our Town’s” Mike Matejka.
“‘Not it Our Town” has always stood for an inclusive community,” Matejka said. “That everybody is a part of the community. Everybody should be respected. Everybody should be welcome.”
The Illinois Trust Act, signed Governor Rauner, prevents local police from detaining people based solely on their immigration status.
Some citizens say the measure violates federal law, and was one of the reasons Rauner faced a conservative challenger in Tuesday’s Republican Primary.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]
