La Salle County governments talk migrant bus policy, here’s what’s next

The La Salle County Board sent discussion of its migrant bus policy to its Legislation and Rules Committee, after some discussion Thursday.

The plan is for discussions to be hashed out at the committee level, then for the full board to vote on the committee’s recommendation. The committee is scheduled to meet 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16, at the La Salle County Governmental Complex, 707 E. Etna Road, Ottawa. Meetings are shown live YouTube.

[ La Salle County Board differs on migrant policy, agrees to send item to committee review ]

The 29-member board will vote on a resolution modeled after Grundy County that would, on paper, thwart or halt the movement of asylum-seekers.

Migrants arriving in northern Illinois cities is the latest in a trend seen over the past year as Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s administration transports groups crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas to Democratic-led cities such as Chicago, The Associated Press reported.

Chicago city leaders, however, have since imposed penalties of their own on unscheduled bus drop-offs, saying the abrupt nature of the drop-offs doesn’t allow the city to adequately prepare to house those in need.

As a result of these new rules in Chicago, a number of buses have left migrants in the Chicago suburbs. So far, no buses have arrived in La Salle County.

Interstates 80 and 39 and an Amtrak railroad line with a stop in Mendota run through the county.

Board member Pamela Beckett, D-Ottawa, posed a legalistic issue, inquiring whether county authority would supersede that of the cities as they grapple with this issue.

In response, Chairman Don Jensen, R-Deer Park, said he “anticipates a cooperative effort” between the county and the cities to ensure a uniform response to a possible migrants.

Ottawa council to vote on policy for unscheduled bus stops

The Ottawa City Council is scheduled to vote on a policy for unscheduled bus stops 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16, at Ottawa City Hall, 301 W. Madison St. The meeting is available to watch live at https://cityofottawa.org/

The ordinance on the agenda is “establishing a policy for unscheduled bus stops and discharge of passengers to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the residents and visitors of the City of Ottawa.”

Mayor Robb Hasty gave insight Wednesday to what Ottawa may put in place.

[ Ottawa creates emergency response for migrant bus drop-offs ]

Should any buses carrying migrants drop them in Ottawa, the city has created an emergency response plan that calls for temporarily taking care of them and quickly getting them to Chicago, officials said.

Mayor Robb Hasty on Wednesday said the city put together an emergency response with community organizations, including The Salvation Army, A Servant’s Heart, Public Action to Deliver Shelter and local churches, among other organizations.

Hasty said the plan focuses on providing warm shelter, food and clothing in the short term – for two, four or six hours – until a bus can get the migrants to Chicago.

Police Chief Brent Roalson said police will respond should migrants be left in Ottawa, and then they will carry out the plan, Hasty said.

Other talks on the issue

The Marseilles City Council voted to amend its city codes to include a section regarding “charter transportation,” essentially putting in place a set of procedures to be followed in the event that migrants are abandoned in town.

[ Marseilles council sets code to handle migrant buses with fines, possible impound ]

The Streator City Council talked about a plan, agreeing it’s not likely a bus would drop off in the city with it not being on an interstate or railroad line linking to Chicago. Council members also said they wanted to see what the La Salle County Board did first.

[ Streator council talks about plan for possible migrant buses ]