Dozens of Glenview residents urged elected officials recently to ban federal agencies—particularly U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE—from using village-owned properties for enforcement activity.
But Village President Michael Jenny questioned this request, asking if such an action is under the local government’s purview.
“Is it our role to pass an ordinance we know is not enforceable, largely for symbolic purposes?” he asked. “I don’t know.”
The residents addressed the Glenview Village Board for more than an hour on Nov. 18, one week after an email signed by nine residents was sent to elected officials. The email contained two requests: Follow neighboring communities like Wilmette, Skokie and Evanston by prohibiting federal agencies from conducting enforcement operations on municipal properties, and provide clear information to Glenview residents about their rights and what action they can take if they observe ICE activity in their neighborhood and believe their safety is at risk.
The village is collaborating with the Glenview Public Library to share information with the public on their rights, Jenny said. As for an ordinance restricting federal activity, it remains unclear if discussion will take place at a future board meeting.
“It is something we will continue to follow and we will continue to consider in terms of what else we can do to inform the public and make you feel a little bit safer in your day to day activities—even if that ultimately turns out, though, that we have a disagreement on the role of village government,” Jenny told residents. “It doesn’t mean we don’t care.”
He noted that the village does not receive any notice if federal agents are conducting operations in the community and that Glenview police follow the Illinois Trust Act, which prohibits them from aiding or interfering with immigration enforcement.
Trustee Tim Doron said communicating with residents is “absolutely imperative,” but added that he was “not sold” on the idea of an ordinance prohibiting certain federal activities because, due to lack of enforceability, it would be only a “feel good ordinance.”
Trustee Gina DeBoni said she was looking forward to more consideration of the requests made.
“I do believe the safety and welfare of our community are part of our core mission and our core services,” she said.
Cathy Wilson, a member of Indivisible Glenview, a local activist organization, and one of the signers of the email to the board, said nearly every resident who spoke before the elected officials addressed the issue of ICE agents “from a safety perspective.”
“The Village Board always says that their mission is to provide core services to our community; we believe that safety falls under the definition of core services,” Wilson told Pioneer Press.
“Glenview had not taken any action related to ICE activity within the village, nor sought to educate our community. Our email was designed to encourage the village to step up and address the impact of ICE activity as our neighbors had done.”
Following the meeting, Wilson acknowledged that she does not expect the village to take action to ban agents from village property, and she and other residents are considering “several actions” as their next steps.
Reports of masked agents detaining individuals—sometimes violently—without warrants and in public places around the Chicago area permeated the last three months during raids the Trump administration dubbed “Operation Midway Blitz.”
While the Department of Homeland Security said the operation would be targeting criminals and violent offenders, just 16 people of the 614 arrested and identified by the government had criminal histories that presented a “high public safety risk.” The other 598 people on the list had no criminal history listed.
Federal Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino and agents deployed as part of Operation Midwest Blitz left the Chicago area in November, but some activity is continuing.
Some of the Glenview residents who addressed the Village Board used terms like “kidnapping,” “invasion” and “terrifying” to describe recent actions taken by ICE agents.
Wilson asked how Glenview police will protect residents if a “raid” occurs in the community and if police will respond to 911 calls about worrisome ICE activity. Other residents expressed concerns about immigrant workers in the community.
“I think it’s very dangerous what’s happening,” said resident Peter Belsha. “I think there’s very aggressive and disruptive actions taking place.”
Resident Ann Yoshida said she was “stunned” by the village’s silence amid reports of individuals around Chicago being taken by agents without due process.
“I have no illusion that local governments can fix this horrendous situation,” she said. “But I do expect that in a community that purports to care about all of its residents there would be some acknowledgment that there are many people living and working in Glenview who are hurting, who are fearful about going to work, about sending their children to school and about trusting that their local government and police department are looking out for them.”
Resident Beth Allen added: “As a person of Jewish faith, there’s a nagging thought that in these times, right here in our safe village where many people of different backgrounds and faith reside, someone could be deemed undesirable. … Can we stand by while people are disappeared in our community? Where is the due process?”
