Chicago Launches Campaign to Protect Immigrants

Chicago has recently launched a campaign to support the refugee and immigrant population in the city. With developments in immigration and deportation, many undocumented immigrants in Illinois are seeking legal information from an immigration lawyer in Chicago.

The One Chicago Campaign

In May 2017, Chicago’s mayor, Rahm Emanuel, and several other prominent Chicago residents kicked off a campaign called “One Chicago” to support the refugee and immigrant population living in the city. Since Mayor Emanuel’s grandfather came to the United States as an immigrant at age 13, the mayor has a vested interest in the welfare of the large immigration population living in Chicago.

The campaign was developed in response to President Trump’s threats to cut off funding for sanctuary cities around the country. The One Chicago campaign was launched at the DuSable Museum of African American History with a powerful campaign slogan: “Three million residents, three million stories, one Chicago.”

Undocumented Immigrants in Chicago

Undocumented immigrants currently make up about four percent of the population in Illinois, with a large concentration in Chicago. They fill a need within many important industries and contribute over $900 million in local, state and federal taxes, yet many are living in fear of deportation. Due to the President’s current anti-immigration agenda, many Chicago immigrants are concerned about their jobs and their future.

The fear of arrest and deportation has caused many immigrants to seek legal assistance through an immigration lawyer in Chicago. Statistics from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) revealed that 41,000 undocumented immigrants were arrested within the first 100 days of Trump’s presidency. While the majority of these arrests involved immigrants with criminal convictions, a percentage of arrests included immigrants with no criminal backgrounds. The Trump administration has arrested 18,845 immigrants.

Many immigrants flee to the U.S. as a result of hostile living environments in their home countries, while others have family ties in the States. With proper help and time, the 600,000 undocumented immigrants currently living in the U.S. can obtain some form of citizenship status. The One Chicago campaign is a positive step to protect the immigrants living in Chicago. Other cities around the country are also taking aggressive steps as sanctuary cities to protect the rights and freedoms of immigrants who came to the U.S. for a better life for themselves and their families.