* From the governor’s office…
Hi, Rich:
Governor Rauner has always said we need to balance our tradition as a nation welcoming of immigrants and refugees with legitimate national security concerns to keep Americans safe from terrorism.
The governor has been supportive of tightening the vetting process for Syrian refugees because of ISIS attempts to infiltrate refugee flows — but he’s opposed to immigration bans that target any specific religion.
Serious concerns about the [presidential] executive order have been raised. We urge swift resolution of these concerns through the courts to ensure we are a nation that is both secure and welcoming of immigrants and refugees.
Best,
ck
* That was a pretty measured response, so in comparison this is way over the top, but he is who he is…
* More on local GOP response…
(A)s of Sunday evening, four of our six GOP members of Congress representing Illinois remained completely silent as to where they stood on Trump’s order. Republican U.S. Reps. Peter Roskam and Randy Hultgren did not respond to requests for comment from POLITICO, while others did not respond to requests from other media. […]
U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, (R-Ill.), posted a response on Medium saying Trump’s executive order “has caused confusion among those asked to enforce it.”
“I urge the Administration to clarify the specifics on what should and should not be done to best protect our homeland, our people, and our communities,” Kinzinger wrote. “I support a comprehensive look at our vetting process, and I believe it’s something every new administration would be expected to do. However, reports of green card holders and those who assisted us in the war on terror being denied or delayed entry is deeply concerning. Such detention is unacceptable and must be remedied immediately.”
U.S. Rep. John Shimkus, (R-Ill.), embraced the temporary ban, saying it would allow “time to evaluate and improve the vetting process,” of refugees.
* AG Madigan…
Attorney General Lisa Madigan joined with 15 other attorneys general today to condemn the unconstitutional Executive Order on immigration.
Madigan and the attorneys general issued the following statement:
“As the chief legal officers for over 130 million Americans and foreign residents of our states, we condemn President Trump’s unconstitutional, unAmerican and unlawful Executive Order and will work together to ensure the federal government obeys the Constitution, respects our history as a nation of immigrants, and does not unlawfully target anyone because of their national origin or faith.
Religious liberty has been, and always will be, a bedrock principle of our country and no president can change that truth.
Yesterday, multiple federal courts ordered a stay of the Administration’s dangerous Executive Order. We applaud those decisions and will use all of the tools of our offices to fight this unconstitutional order and preserve our nation’s national security and core values.
We are confident that the Executive Order will ultimately be struck down by the courts. In the meantime, we are committed to working to ensure that as few people as possible suffer from the chaotic situation that it has created.”
Joining Madigan in issuing the statement were attorneys general from: California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.
* U of I…
Dear students, faculty and staff,
The University of Illinois System is a leader in teaching, discovery and outreach in our state, the nation and the world. Our doors are open and welcoming to talented individuals from around the globe and we pledge to ensure that this openness continues into the future. It is at the heart of our commitment to global access and extraordinary impact and is reflected in our Nondiscrimination Statement.
We are greatly concerned about the negative consequences for members of our community and their families arising from President Trump’s recent Executive Order instituting changes in immigration policy.
We want to assure you that we are monitoring events closely and we are working with other universities, national organizations, legal counsel and government officials to support and protect all of our international faculty, visiting scholars and students.
Because of the entry restrictions cited in the new Executive Order, we strongly recommend that students and scholars who might be affected defer travel outside the U.S. until there is fuller assessment of the Executive Order and its implementation, including resolution of several newly mounted legal challenges.
We are working with colleagues at other universities and with national higher education advocacy organizations, such as the Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities, Association of American Universities and American Association of State Colleges and Universities to assess the effects of the immigration directives and to urge that the Executive Order be reconsidered as quickly as possible. We are also engaging with members of the Illinois congressional delegation to share specific concerns.
All three of our universities are communicating with affected members of our communities and are providing information and support. For specific resources, please contact:
University of Illinois at Chicago: Office of International Services, (312) 996-3121 (ois@uic.edu)
University of Illinois at Springfield: Office of International Programs, (217) 206-8319, (intprog@uis.edu)
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: Supporting Our International Community, (217) 333-1303 ext. 1
We stress that our international community is a vital part of our excellence and reflects our steadfast commitment to diversity, inclusion, global engagement and impact in today’s society.
Sincerely,
Tim Killeen
President
* Mayor Emanuel…
“One hundred years ago, the people of Chicago opened their hearts and their homes to my grandfather when he immigrated to this great city, fleeing the pogroms of Eastern Europe in search of freedom and opportunity. In that spirit, in the coming days my family and I will host DREAMers attending Chicago Public Schools and Chicago City Colleges for a meal, a conversation, and a recognition and celebration of all that unites us, rather than what divides us. I am asking every interested resident of the City of Chicago to join us by hosting a similar meal in your own homes and at restaurants in your own neighborhoods, or by sharing welcoming words through a phone call or email. At a moment of unease and vulnerability for so many, let’s come together as a city and put action behind our words and the values we hold dear as a welcoming city. Lets show the world that the City of Big Shoulders is also a city of big hearts.”
* Comptroller…
In response to President Trump’s Muslim ban, Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza issued the following statement:
“President Trump’s attack on Muslims is an attack on every American and it strikes at the heart of our dearest American values of democracy.
We saw clear and troubling warning signs from Trump the candidate, but this goes beyond hyperbolic fear-mongering. To use the Presidential authority granted to him by the American people to isolate, marginalize and discriminate against any group of people based on their nationality or religion, those are the actions of a tyrant.
I denounce President Trump’s despicable and decidedly un-American campaign against immigrants and refugees and I call on my fellow Illinoisans to rise up in a vocal and peaceful opposition until his executive action is revoked.
As an elected official, as the daughter of immigrant parents and as a patriotic American, I will not tolerate bigotry or xenophobia in any form, and most certainly not when it is made legal and institutionalized through the abuse of our democratic republic.”
* Sen. Duckworth…
“I wish the President had realized that governing in a fair and just manner is harder than rallying crowds with catchphrases before human lives were affected, as they were by today’s needless and dehumanizing detentions at O’Hare and airports around the country. Stopping legal permanent residents and babies simply because of where they’re from is not the American way and it doesn’t make us safer. This Muslim ban must end.”
* Sen. Durbin…
“History will judge where America’s leaders stood today, said Durbin. “Faced with the humanitarian crisis of our time, the United States cannot turn its back on children fleeing persecution, genocide, and terror. During the Holocaust we failed to fulfill to our duty to humanity. We cannot allow mindless fear to lead us into another regretful chapter in our history.”
* JB Pritzker…
* Related…
* ADDED: Koch network slams Trump immigrant ban: “We believe it is possible to keep Americans safe without excluding people who wish to come here to contribute and pursue a better life for their families,” Brian Hooks, a co-chairman of the Kochs’ seminar network, said in a statement. “The travel ban is the wrong approach and will likely be counterproductive,” Hooks added, saying it hinders a Koch goal of promoting a free and open society.
* Data: Refugees in Illinois: More than 40 percent from banned countries: More than 40 percent of the more than 30,000 refugees who have settled in various parts of Chicagoland since 2002 are from the seven countries specifically mentioned in Donald Trump’s latest executive order.
* Chicagoans decry travel restrictions as family, friends held at O’Hare
* As hundreds protest, attorneys seek info on how many are detained
* In tweets, President Trump denies immigration order caused airport chaos
