Sanctuary Working Group Update: February 28, 2025
The Sanctuary Working Group (of which Tzedek Chicago is a longtime member) is a collective of Chicago area faith communities that support and accompany vulnerable migrants in their journey toward sustainable independence. It is coordinated by the Wellington UCC. Tzedek members who would like to get involved should email Brian Carson (the author of this update) for more information.
Thank you to those who responded to last week’s newsletter appeal for baby clothes and diapers. We dropped off a trunk load to Emily and Ngozi at Sanctuary Working Group. Between the SWG housing and Bethany House there are several women having births in the next couple of weeks and supplies will be welcome.
Important resources:
Emily Wheeler at SWG has put together an amazing collection of 2025 immigration preparedness documents on this Google doc.
5Calls.org is a highly recommended site that you can download to your computer or phone. Just add your address and it will find your state senator and state representative, your two US Senators and US Rep (five calls). You can just cycle through and leave messages for each, with no hassle!
National Legislation:
HR 32, known as the No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act, will seek to strip Chicago and other sanctuary cities from federal funding. Please contact your representative and ask them to vote "no" on HR 32.
HR 1061/S 455, known as the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act, would codify protections for sensitive locations (churches, hospitals, schools) against immigration enforcement. IL Senators Duckworth Durbin are already co-sponsors of this bill. Please let your friends from other states know how important this is. IL House Rep. Sorensen (17th District) and Rep. Budzinski (13th District) are the Congresspeople we need to target to get their support.
Please sign this National Immigrant Justice Center petition that demands Congress oppose massive cuts to essential community and family services, which will directly impact millions of Americans. Or you can call your representatives directly to emphasize the importance of protecting the American people instead of giving billionaires more tax breaks
When most law enforcement agencies arrest someone, the Fourth Amendment sets guardrails to protect the impacted person’s constitutional right to liberty. Typically, law enforcement must prove to a neutral reviewer, usually a judge, that there is probable cause to keep this person in jail. That is not the case for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has routinely issued forms called “detainers” to local authorities requesting that they keep an individual extra time, so an ICE officer can pick them up.
Historically, there has been no neutral oversight of the probable cause for the detainer arrest. A new settlement agreement under Gonzalez v. ICE is set to change this for most of the United States starting on March 4, 2025. You can find the text of the settlement here.
Illinois Legislation:
Here are some bills coming up in the state legislature that need our support:
The vast majority of escaped human trafficking and torture survivors were forced to flee their country without their families. SB 1857 and HB 3400 will reinstate an aid program that allows individual Illinois Victims of Human Trafficking and Torture who fled to the US alone. Currently only families are eligible. Individuals who have filed or are preparing to file an application for asylum status would receive funds to pay for food and essential items during this vulnerable time period. More information here.
Please email andreakovach@povertylaw.org to have your organization sign on to a letter of support for the bill organized by the Poverty Law Center, or to get more information.
HB 3247/SB 2065 would prevent Illinois schools from disclosing information about a child’s immigration status or working with ICE agents or denying a child school services because of immigration status.
SB 2033 (Immigration Safe Zones Act) will model public policies that will limit assistance with immigration enforcement to the fullest extent possible consistent with federal and state law to ensure public facilities remain safe and accessible to all residents of IL, regardless of their immigration status. Presented by State Senator Villanueva (of Little Village) and Cristina Castro (of Elgin) – contact them for how advocates can help in pushing this bill forward.
Other News:
The Trump administration has deported up to 300 migrants from countries such as Afghanistan, Iran, and China to Panama, citing difficulties in returning them directly to their home countries. These deportees, many of whom were seeking asylum in the US, were transported on US military flights and were being held at the Decapolis Hotel in Panama City under strict restrictions. Migrants in the hotel told journalists that their passports and most cell phones had been confiscated, they were denied access to legal counsel and they faced unsafe living conditions.
Within days of arrival, some migrants removed from the US to Panama had agreed to be deported to their countries of origin. The Panamanian government has agreed to serve as a transit or "bridge" country for deportees under a new arrangement with the US, with the US covering all operational costs. The agreement, announced earlier this month following US SOS Marco Rubio’s visit to Panama, positions Panama as a key partner in the Trump admin’s expanded deportation strategy. Oversight will reportedly be provided by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). However, Panamanian lawyers have raised concerns about the legality of detaining individuals without court orders for extended periods. The Panamanian government has announced plans to transfer the migrants to a jungle camp in the infamous Darién Province, a region known for harsh conditions and health risks such as dengue fever. On Feb 19, Panama transferred 97 of the deportees to the camp. Panama’s cooperation comes amid increased diplomatic tension over control of the Panama Canal a seismic shift in US immigration policy under Trump’s second term, with Washington pressuring other nations to participate in its mass deportation scheme.
On February 18, the Trump admin issued a stop-work order for legal services provided to unaccompanied migrant children, halting representation for nearly 26,000 minors in federal custody or released to sponsors. On Feb 21, the stop-work order appeared to be at least partially rescinded. The Feb 18 order, issued by the Dept of the Interior and Dept of Health and Human Services, affected key organizations like the Acacia Center for Justice and Kids in Need of Defense, which provide critical legal assistance to migrant children navigating the complex US immigration system.
Without legal help, unaccompanied children must represent themselves before an immigration judge, even if they are toddlers and do not speak English. In addition, last week, the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) released new rules with stricter vetting requirements for sponsors of unaccompanied minors, mandating fingerprinting for all adults in the household where a child will reside and possibly sharing this information with immigration authorities.
These measures, experts warn, could discourage potential sponsors from coming forward out of fear of deportation, leading to prolonged detention for children in overcrowded shelters. Advocates and legal service providers alike warn that these decisions undermine due process, delay case resolutions, and leave children at heightened risk of trafficking, exploitation, and abuse. Data shows that children with legal representation are far more likely to attend court hearings and receive favorable outcomes in their cases.
Need support? Call our Family Support Hotline:
1-855-HELP-MY-FAMILY
1-855-435-7693 (English/Spanish/Korean/Polish)
Hotline Call Options:
• Immigrant Family Support Program (ICIRR’s Family Support Program)
• Report ICE activity/Support to locate someone in ICE custody
• Connect with an immigration attorney
• Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
• Healthcare resources for immigrant and refugees
• Public charge updates
• Workplace rights, issues or safety for immigrants
