La Salle County’s resolution for a possible migrant drop-off raises no red flags for liability

La Salle County’s resolution for handling the possibility of a bus dropping off migrants within its limits is heading back to the Committee on Appointment, Legislation and Rules.

The Insurance Trust Committee discussed the resolution Thursday, and the county’s insurance consultants said they saw no red flags with the resolution.

The consultants told the committee that there was exposure to liability either way the County Board reacts, but there would be less liability if the county includes in the resolution that it wishes to assist migrants in a humanitarian manner.

“If they’re dropped off in an emergent situation, especially in this type of weather, to not take a humanitarian action – whether it be a bus of immigrants or a charter bus from another state that somehow breaks down in La Salle County, or whether you have a boat in the summertime floating down the river with an emergency – it would be expected the government would take reasonable action in a humanitarian way,” attorney Jim McPhedran said. “What [consultants] are suggesting is the county would be in a better situation from an insurance standpoint by doing that than doing nothing.”

The consultant agreed that “doing the so-called right thing” is always better, but liability can come from any direction.

McPhedran suggested that the County Board do what it believes is in the best interest of its residents.

A migrant drop-off, in and of itself, would not raise La Salle County’s liability insurance premium, he said.

The resolution was sent from the full County Board on Jan. 11 to the Committee on Appointment, Legislation and Rules, which met Tuesday.

The resolution then was sent to the Insurance Trust Committee with the understanding that it would return to the Committee on Appointment, Legislation and Rules for further review before reaching the full County Board again.

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 has 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, but the county is connected to the city through Interstate 80 and an Amtrak railroad line.