November 13, 2024
NewsThank You VeteransSportsNewslettersShaw Local RadioeNewspaperLocal EventsStarved Rock Country

La Salle County committee to talk Jan. 25 about migrant resolution

Committee is expected to make recommendation to full board

By Derek Barichello
La Salle County Board member Bill Brown comments on a resolution to declare La Salle County as a Non-Sanctuary County for the current flow of asylum seekers (immigrants) caused by the current border enforcement policies on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2023 at the La Salle County Government Complex in Ottawa.

La Salle County Board member Bill Brown comments on a resolution Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024, to address the possibility of migrants being dropped off unscheduled by a bus in La Salle County. (Scott Anderson)

La Salle County’s Committee on Appointment and Legislation and Rules is expected to review the county’s migrant resolution 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 25.

The Insurance Trust Committee discussed the resolution Jan. 18 and the county’s insurance consultants said they saw no red flags with the resolution, which added language to assist migrants in a humanitarian manner.

The La Salle County Board began discussion Jan. 11 on coming up with a plan if a bus initially en route to Chicago were to abandon migrants within the county, as had occurred recently in suburbs around Chicago. At this time, there have not been any migrants dropped off by buses in La Salle County.

A resolution modeled after Grundy County was sent from the full County Board on Jan. 11 to the Committee on Appointment, Legislation and Rules, which met Jan. 16 and decided to send the item to the Insurance Trust Committee to make sure the county was not overlooking any liability.

The committee can make a recommendation, but the resolution is expected to be voted on by the full County Board at an upcoming meeting to go into effect.

The meeting will be in Room 250 at the La Salle County Governmental Complex, 707 E. Etna Road, Ottawa. Go to https://www.youtube.com/@lasallecountyboard3315 to watch the meeting live on YouTube.

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, including in communities with railroad lines connecting to the city. The county is connected to the city through Interstate 80 and an Amtrak railroad line.

Have a Question about this article?