Ald. Jessie Fuentes, 26th, is flanked by Ald. Jeylu Gutierrez, 14th, left, and Ald. Michael Rodriguez, 22nd, after advocates of Chicago’s sanctuary city status blocked the item that would have put Chicago’s status on the March ballot, after a special City Council meeting on Dec. 14, 2023. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
By Alice Yin | Chicago Tribune
Aldermen blocked a measure Thursday to place a symbolic question on the March primary ballot asking voters whether to end Chicago’s status as a sanctuary city, the likely end to a monthslong saga driven by opponents of Mayor Brandon Johnson seeking to take a stand against his response to the migrant crisis.
In a 31-16 vote, the City Council sided with Johnson in rejecting a motion to debate whether to include a nonbinding referendum on the ballot asking “Should the City of Chicago limit its designation as a Sanctuary City by placing spending limits on its public funding?”
The vote came at a special City Council meeting called by resolution sponsor Ald. Anthony Beale, 9th, and Aldermen Raymond Lopez, 15th, and David Moore, 17th. Their prior attempt in November to get the sanctuary city question to voters devolved into chaos.
“Mr. Chairman, let me just say that I think you all had something up your sleeve,” Beale said after his motion failed. “What are you scared of, to let the people have a voice? What are you scared of, the truth? … That’s all this question is asking, is to let the people have a say.”
Besides the three who forced the special meeting, aldermen in support of considering the resolution were: Brian Hopkins, 2nd, Gregory Mitchell, 7th, Nicole Lee, 11th, Marty Quinn, Derrick Curtis, 18th, Ronnie Mosley, 21st, Silvana Tabares, 23rd, Monique Scott, 24th, Chris Taliaferro, 29th, Nicholas Sposato, 38th, Anthony Napolitano, 41st, Brendan Reilly, 42nd, and James Gardiner, 45th.
Johnson did not opine on the resolution during Thursday’s meeting, but he has long brushed off Beale’s efforts as a political stunt.
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