PEORIA, Ill. (25 News) – Peoria city leaders addressed concerns about possible Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity during Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, despite no confirmed ICE sightings in the city.
Mayor Rita Ali and Peoria Police Chief Eric Echevarria spoke during the meeting to reassure residents about how the city would respond if federal agents did show up here.
Ali emphasized that Peoria is required to follow state law, including the Illinois Trust Act, implemented in 2017, which limits cooperation between local law enforcement agencies and federal immigration authorities in civil immigration matters.
“We as a city will abide by these laws and this guidance that’s recorded in the Trust Act,” Mayor Ali said during the meeting before reading parts of the legislation to those who were in attendance.
Parts of the Trust Act read by the mayor included that state law enforcement is generally prohibited from assisting with civil immigration enforcement operations.
The Illinois Trust Act also prohibits state law enforcement from entering into agreements with immigration authorities and from complying with immigration detainers from transferring into immigration custody without a warrant, among a long list of other guidances.
Chief Echevarria said he recently sent a department-wide internal memo reminding officers of the Trust Act, outlining seven core expectations if immigration authorities are present. He emphasized that although local police cannot control federal policy, he and his team will focus on how to treat local residents.
“Peoria police do not enforce federal immigration law. Our role is local public safety, and we’ll not assist in immigration enforcement actions beyond what is required by law and department policy,” Echevarria said.
Officers are required to document any situation involving immigration enforcement, including the use of body-worn cameras and written reports.
“The current state of ICE is a danger to communities, I’ll say that publicly. The impact of unchecked power is devastating.” Echevarria said. “Every office, in a situation where immigration is there, present, we will have body camera on, and we will report and document what is occurring,” Echevarria continued, highlighting his team’s role as that of public service and not as political.
Chief Echevarria also shared a personal perspective on the fear immigration enforcement can create in communities.
“I’ll say from a personal standpoint, as an Afro-Latino man, a husband, father, and a grandfather, I understand these fears all too well,” Echevarria said. “I understand both sides of the coin, I’ve lived on both sides of the coin.”
Several residents addressed the council during public comment, including local advocate Darcie Cady, who spoke for the second time on the issue. Cady urged city leaders to establish a rapid response plan to address immigration-related concerns in the community.
“We are encouraged by the Council’s expressed commitment to the Peoria community and to upholding public safety for all residents,” Cady told 25 News in a statement.
“We remain hopeful that the sentiments shared during last night’s meeting will be translated into action through the implementation of a Rapid Response Plan – one that ensures the residents of Peoria and all who serve our city are provided with the tools, resources, and support necessary to keep our community safe,” she also said.
Comments