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AURORA, Ill. (WLS) — The city of Aurora has enacted a new ordinance that prohibits federal agents from utilizing city-owned properties to apprehend immigrants unless they have a warrant.
During a special meeting held on Wednesday night, the city council members voted unanimously in favor of this ordinance.
Aurora joins the growing list of communities implementing or considering similar protective measures. Despite this trend, there remains skepticism about the effectiveness of such legislation.
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Recently, federal agents were observed inspecting a vehicle parked at an Aurora public school. This drew the attention of activists, including Ruben Morales, who claims he was subsequently assaulted and detained by the agents.
“They didn’t even inform me of any arrest,” Morales recounted. “They simply put me in handcuffs without explanation.”
The school district has since passed it’s own ordinance banning agents from being on their property without a warrant.
READ MORE | US citizens detained by feds speak out after protesters confront agents at Aurora school, hospital
The agents also arrested fellow activist Jessi Olazaba, and in the process, she hit her head on the concrete and needed medical treatment. Activists and Aurora Mayor John Laesch showed up at the hospital, where they confronted agents.
Laesch is now supporting a proposed city ordinance banning agents from using city property without a warrant.
“This creates that opportunity for us to all do a little bit more in a very challenging and frustrating situation, where ICE is operating outside the boundaries of the law, violating people’s constitutional rights,” Laesch said.
The Aurora City Council debated the proposed ordinance at a special meeting Wednesday night. They join numerous other communities, including Chicago, that have passed similar ordinances in the last few weeks.
However, legal experts question how effective these laws are when the federal agents are protected by the U.S. constitution.
“The supremacy clause. The feds really can do what they want and can trump state law,” ABC7 Chief Legal Analyst Gil Soffer said. “But states have their rights as well and it is a very gray area and highly debated.”
Ultimately, those debates will have to be settled in court. So far, none of the local ordinances have been tested in court to determine whether they are constitutional.
