HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 62-R-25, Calling Upon the United States Congress and the Illinois General Assembly to Enact Legislation Prohibiting Law Enforcement Officers from Concealing Their Identities-1757377920412 (1) (1)
9/2/2025
62-R-25
A RESOLUTION
CALLING UPON THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS AND THE ILLINOIS GENERAL
ASSEMBLY TO ENACT LEGISLATION PROHIBITING LAW ENFORCEMENT
OFFICERS FROM CONCEALING THEIR IDENTITIES
WHEREAS, in 2016, the City of Evanston adopted the Welcoming City
Ordinance to limit local involvement in federal immigration enforcement and to ensure
all people in Evanston can live with respect, safety, and dignity regardless of
immigration or citizenship status; and
WHEREAS, in 2017 the State of Illinois passed the TRUST Act, which prohibits
state and local law enforcement from participating in federal immigration operations,
and the City of Evanston simultaneously strengthened its Welcoming City Ordinance in
accordance with the state law; and
WHEREAS, in 2025 the City of Evanston again strengthened the Welcoming City
Ordinance to provide new safeguards against increasing threats to Evanston’s
immigrant communities under the incoming federal administration; and
WHEREAS, the current federal administration, which aims to instill fear in our
communities, has recently deployed federal agents wearing masks and civilian clothing,
without name tags or badges and traveling in unmarked vehicles, to make arrests and
conduct immigration enforcement operations across the country, including in Illinois and
the Chicago area; and
WHEREAS, these attempts by federal agents to conceal their identities as they
snatch people from streets, homes, workplaces, and courthouses have the effect of
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terrorizing our communities rather than protecting them, and raise serious concerns
about accountability and due process; and
WHEREAS, the federal government’s efforts to intentionally hide the identities of
its agents make it far more difficult to challenge unlawful government acts, including
holding agents accountable for arrests that do not comport with basic constitutional
rights or our immigration laws; and
WHEREAS, confusion over whether masked, plainclothes agents are legitimate
law enforcement makes it difficult to distinguish between legal detention and criminal
conduct, and has also contributed to a dangerous increase in impersonation of officers;
and
WHEREAS, the abduction of Illinois residents by masked federal agents erodes
trust between the community and local law enforcement; and
WHEREAS, concealing the identity of federal agents contravenes federal
regulations requiring that immigration agents must identify themselves when making an
arrest as soon as it is safe to do so, see 8 C.F.R. 287.8(c)(2)(iii); and
WHEREAS, the Illinois General Assembly has introduced HB 4068, which would
generally prohibit state, local, and federal law enforcement officers from wearing a mask
or neck gaiter while interacting with the public in the performance of the officer's duties;
and
WHEREAS, the Illinois Attorney General has called upon Congress to advance
legislation that would similarly prohibit federal immigration agents from wearing masks
that conceal their identities and would require agents to show identification and
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agency-identifying insignia, to protect the public, ensure accountability, and preserve the
reputation and effectiveness of law enforcement at every level of government; and
WHEREAS, several pieces of legislation have been introduced in Congress that
would ban masks for federal immigration agents, including the No Secret Police Act,
H.R. 4176; the No Anonymity in Immigration Enforcement Act of 2025, H.R. 4004; the
ICE Badge Visibility Act, H.R. 4298; and the Visible Identification Standards for
Immigration-Based Law Enforcement Act of 2025, S. 2212; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of the core principle that government exists to protect
and serve its people – not to terrorize and divide them – the City of Evanston desires to
affirm its commitment to defending our immigrant communities, condemn the
deployment of masked federal agents conducting arrests without accountability, and
articulate its support for legislative safeguards against immigration enforcement
operations that conceal agents’ identities;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF EVANSTON, COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS
SECTION 1: That the foregoing recitals are found as fact and incorporated
herein by reference.
SECTION 2: That the City of Evanston hereby urges the Illinois
Congressional Delegation and the Illinois General Assembly to enact legislation that will
prohibit law enforcement agents from concealing their identities from the public by
wearing masks and will require agents to wear appropriate uniforms and present
identification when conducting enforcement operations.
SECTION 3: That copies of this Resolution shall be furnished to all
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members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation, the Governor of Illinois, the President
of the Illinois Senate, and the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives.
SECTION 4: This Resolution shall be in full force and effect from and
after its passage and approval in the manner provided by law.
_______________________________
Daniel Biss, Mayor
Attest:
_______________________________
Stephanie Mendoza, City Clerk
Approved as to form:
______________________________
Alexandra B. Ruggie, Corporation Counsel
Adopted: ______________________, 2025
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