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Home My WebLink About045-R-186/21/2018 45-R-18 A RESOLUTION Declaring the Evanston City Council's Opposition to the Trump Administration "Zero Tolerance" Policy, Opposition to the Indefinite Detention of Children with their Parents, and Urging for the Reunification of All Detained and Separated Families WHEREAS, considerable attention has been paid to the plight of children at the Southern border and the New York Times recently reported that the Department of Health and Human Services ("HHS") has confirmed that the Department of Homeland Security ("DHS") has separated more than seven hundred (700) children from their parents since October 2017, including more than one hundred (100) children under age four; and WHEREAS, the Department of Justice has adopted a "zero tolerance" policy toward individuals apprehended at the border, which calls for the criminal prosecution of all migrants entering the United States outside of ports of entry and the resulting forced separation of many children from their families; and WHEREAS, this prosecution -first mentality is costly, taxing on our courts, and unnecessarily punitive, especially as it affects family units; and WHEREAS, the United States has a higher standard than legality, with our country's most basic moral commitment being human rights and dignity; and WHEREAS, forced family segregation and the intentional infliction of injury to children are below the standards of the United States and inconsistent with American values; and 45-R-18 WHEREAS, many of these families are fleeing violence in their home countries, and it is inhumane to punish them for seeking safety and invoking their right to seek asylum in the United States; and WHEREAS, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order on June 20, 2018, which provides for a broad stop to separating families at the border but does not change anything to put families back together that have already been separated and allows for the indefinite detention of children with their parents; and WHEREAS, the Evanston City Council seeks to register its objections to the aforementioned policy and its implications in unity with other municipalities nationwide, together voicing the rejection of this inhumane treatment of immigrant families, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EVANSTON, COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS, THAT: SECTION 1: The foregoing recitals are found as fact and incorporated herein by reference. SECTION 2: The Evanston City Council registers its strong opposition to separating children from their families at the border and calls on the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice to allow all families apprehended to remain together to the extent possible, to help avoid the heartbreak and irreversible trauma of forced separation. SECTION 3: The Evanston City Council urges Congress to take action immediately to ensure that the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security are prohibited from this separation of children from their families at the border -2- 45-R-18 and the indefinite detention of children with their parents, contrary to federal prohibitions on detaining children in immigration facilities for longer than twenty (20) days. SECTION 4: A copy of this resolution will be forwarded to Illinois' representatives in the United States Senate, the United States House of Representatives, United States President Donald J. Trump, United States Department of Justice Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and United States Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. SECTION 5: This resolution shall be in full force and effect from and after the date of its passage and approval in the manner required by law. J S ephen . Hag rt , a r Attest: Devon Reid, City Clerk Adopted: j (�►;� , 2018 Approved as to form: XQ& /IX4-� I Michelle L. Masoncup, Cotporation Counsel —3— 2100 Ridge Avenue Evanston, IL 60201-2798 T 847.866.2936 F 847.448.8083 www.cityofevanston.org June 27, 2018 President Donald Trump The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500 RE: City of Evanston Resolution 45-R-18 Dear Mr. President: Enclosed please find a copy of the City of Evanston's Resolution 45-R-18, declaring the Evanston City Council's opposition to the Trump Administration "Zero Tolerance" Policy, opposition to the indefinite detention of children with their parents, and urging for the reunification of all detained and separated families. This Resolution was adopted by the City Council on June 25, 2018. As Section 4 states, a copy is being transmitted to your office. Regards, Susie Hall Executive Assistant to the City Manager 2100 Ridge Avenue Evanston, IL 60201-2798 T 847.866.2936 F 847.448.8083 www.cityofevanston.org June 27, 2018 Attorney General Jeff Sessions U.S. Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20530-0001 RE: City of Evanston Resolution 45-R-18 Dear Honorable Sessions: Enclosed please find a copy of the City of Evanston's Resolution 45-R-18, declaring the Evanston City Council's opposition to the Trump Administration "Zero Tolerance" Policy, opposition to the indefinite detention of children with their parents, and urging for the reunification of all detained and separated families. This Resolution was adopted by the City Council on June 25, 2018. As Section 4 states, a copy is being transmitted to your office. Regards, Susie Hall Executive Assistant to the City Manager 2100 Ridge Avenue Evanston, IL 60201-2798 T 847.866.2936 F 847.448.8083 www.cityofevanston.org June 27, 2018 The Honorable Dick Durbin 230 S. Dearborn Street, Suite 3892 Chicago, IL 60604 Dear Senator Durbin, Enclosed please find a copy of the City of Evanston's Resolution 45-R-18, declaring the Evanston City Council's opposition to the Trump Administration "Zero Tolerance" Policy, opposition to the indefinite detention of children with their parents, and urging for the reunification of all detained and separated families. This Resolution was adopted by the City Council on June 25, 2018. As Section 4 states, a copy is being transmitted to your office. Regards, z_R Susie Hall Executive Assistant to the City Manager 2100 Ridge Avenue Evanston, IL 60201-2798 T 847.866.2936 F 847.448.8083 www.cityofevanston.org June 27, 2018 The Honorable Tammy Duckworth 230 S. Dearborn Street, Suite 3900 Chicago, IL 60604 Dear Senator Duckworth, Enclosed please find a copy of the City of Evanston's Resolution 45-R-18, declaring the Evanston City Council's opposition to the Trump Administration "Zero Tolerance" Policy, opposition to the indefinite detention of children with their parents, and urging for the reunification of all detained and separated families. This Resolution was adopted by the City Council on June 25, 2018. As Section 4 states, a copy is being transmitted to your office. Regards, S,-- zt1111- Susie Hall Executive Assistant to the City Manager 2100 Ridge Avenue Evanston, IL 60201-2798 T 847.866.2936 F 847.448.8083 www.cityofevanston.org June 27, 2018 The Honorable Jan Schakowsky District Office 820 Davis Street, Suite 105 Evanston, IL 60201 Dear Representative Schakowsky, Enclosed please find a copy of the City of Evanston's Resolution 45-R-18, declaring the Evanston City Council's opposition to the Trump Administration "Zero Tolerance" Policy, opposition to the indefinite detention of children with their parents, and urging for the reunification of all detained and separated families. This Resolution was adopted by the City Council on June 25, 2018. As Section 4 states, a copy is being transmitted to your office. Regards, a S�— Susie Hall Executive Assistant to the City Manager 2100 Ridge Avenue Evanston, IL 60201-2798 T 847.866.2936 F 847.448.8083 www.cityofevanston.org June 27, 2018 Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen Department of Homeland Security 3801 Nebraska Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20528 RE: City of Evanston Resolution 45-R-18 Dear Secretary Nielsen: Enclosed please find a copy of the City of Evanston's Resolution 45-R-18, declaring the Evanston City Council's opposition to the Trump Administration "Zero Tolerance" Policy, opposition to the indefinite detention of children with their parents, and urging for the reunification of all detained and separated families. This Resolution was adopted by the City Council on June 25, 2018. As Section 4 states, a copy is being transmitted to your office. Regards, Susie Hall Executive Assistant to the City Manager