Occupation is Not the Federal Assistance Chicago Needs
A message from Chicago Urban League President & CEO Karen Freeman-Wilson
Every Monday, our executive team meets to plan the Chicago Urban League’s work on behalf of the community. This past Monday was a bit different. Before meeting with my team, I had the opportunity, to stand in unity with Mayor Brandon Johnson and other elected officials, Pastor Chris Harris and other faith leaders, and Charise Walker and other non-profit leaders. While the focal point of the gathering was Mayor Johnson’s executive order directed at federal actions being taken in Chicago against U.S. citizens and newcomers, the press conference was a call for unity in support of humanity and democracy.
The peace of a Chicago fall has been disrupted by masked ICE agents chasing, intimidating, arresting and detaining Chicagoans daily. They are breaking down doors, invading homes, and targeting law-abiding children and families. They are trampling on the freedom of speech and assembly and due process. The use of tear gas and physical force has been the rule and not the exception. While the stated purpose of this action is to enhance public safety, the methodology is inconsistent with de-escalation and community-centered law enforcement techniques that have become the hallmark of recent training. Rather than promoting safety, they have engendered a sense of uneasiness in communities across our city.
There is no doubt that Chicago, like any great city, has challenges: a widening racial wealth gap, a distressing gap in health outcomes, and crime. While data supports the fact that incidents of violent crime are decreasing, many residents do not feel safe. At the same time, any visitor to our city can attest to its beauty, uniqueness, and welcoming nature. This is not a city that has a need for federal occupation.
The federal government can be a helpful partner in municipalities with challenges. Whether that help is provided through Community Development Block Grants, regulation of clean air and water by the Environmental Protection Agency, or partnerships with the High Intensity Drug Task Force and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Prevention, city leaders welcome true partnerships. Our many community-based, philanthropic, government, corporate, and civic leaders are eager to work collaboratively on issues such as protecting voting rights, expanding healthcare, funding education and housing, and leading with compassion, not contempt.
No one disputes the right of the federal government to pursue actions and actors who are outside of federal law. But even in pursuing illegal acts, there is typically an effort to work collaboratively with local and state government. Instead, the federal government is vilifying residents, frightening children, stretching resources of community-based organizations in unreasonable ways, and increasing the level of anxiety and uncertainty in our city.
Amid this uncertainty, it is critical that we join together and re-affirm our shared values. They are:
We stand for a community where a person is not treated differently because of race, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and ability.
We stand for a community where people understand that diversity yields the best results in the workplace, housing, and education.
We stand for a community where those in authority use the constitution and laws of our federal, state and city government to protect its residents and not relegate them to second-class citizenship.
Finally, we stand for a community where people turn to each other and not on each other. That sense of unity transcends fear, politics, and division – and it will define Chicago long after this moment has passed.
