Chicago is not a Sanctuary City. Chicago is a place where Black and Brown folks are policed, targeted, criminalized, brutalized, and too often killed by law enforcement more than anywhere else in the country. Mayor Rahm Emanuel publicly pledged that Chicago will remain a Sanctuary -- but it's all in name only. It must go further. A city cannot be Sanctuary if Black and Brown people are harassed and killed by police more frequently than anyone else. The police do not deserve all the power and control -- it's the people who deserve safety first.

There is an important decision for the Chicago City Council to make. This month, it is expected that Mayor Emanuel and the council will decide whether to further expand the "Welcoming City" ordinance in Chicago. If approved, it will aim to protect all immigrants and communities of color to safeguard against local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities from invading and terrorizing people. Also, the city council will decide on changes to the contract between Chicago and the Fraternal Order of Police which will determine the safety of the people and if the Chicago Police Department will be held accountable for all actions they commit. 

In a city like Chicago where Black and Latinx people are under constant threat due to police violence and criminalization, Sanctuary must be expanded to fully protect all marginalized communities. The Welcoming City ordinance and the Fraternal Order of Police resolution must be approved by the Chicago City Council. Both of these measures will provide a major step in protecting and improving the lives of all Chicago residents by redefining and expanding Sanctuary city.