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TO: Mayor John Laesh
FROM: Nicholas Richard-Thompson, Deputy Chief of Staff
DATE: October 29th, 2025
SUBJECT:
Requesting enactment of an Ordinance Creating Chapter 40, "Prohibiting the Use of City of Aurora Property for Civil Immigration Enforcement Activities..
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this Ordinance is to exercise the City of Aurora’s home rule powers under the Illinois Constitution to protect the public peace, safety, and welfare. This action is narrowly tailored to explicitly prohibit the use of any City-owned and controlled property-including parking lots, buildings, or parks-as a staging area, processing location, or operations base for civil immigration enforcement activities. Enactment ensures the City maintains control over its own resources and personnel, preventing interference with local governmental affairs.
BACKGROUND:
The State of Illinois passed the TRUST Act (5 ILCS 805/1 et seq.) in 2017, which prohibits state and local law enforcement from participating in federal civil immigration operations and prohibits the use of City resources for onsite support. Recent reports confirm that masked federal agents deployed to the Chicago metropolitan area have utilized city and publicly owned property (parking lots, garages, vacant lots) in Aurora and other Illinois communities as staging sites for civil immigration enforcement. The use of Aurora's facilities for these purposes would not only violate the existing TRUST Act but would also severely erode the public trust between local law enforcement and Aurora’s immigrant communities, thereby weakening relationships essential to effective community policing and public safety. This Ordinance codifies a local regulation to prevent such use and preemptively address this threat to community trust..
DISCUSSION:
The primary benefit to the community is the reinforcement of public trust and safety. By clearly restricting the use of City assets, the City Council reaffirms its commitment to avoiding involvement in civil immigration matters, allowing residents to cooperate with local police without fear of tangential federal enforcement actions. The financial impact is minimal, primarily involving administrative costs related to implementation Producing and installing clear signage on identified City properties. Developing and disseminating training materials and new reporting procedures for City departments and agencies. Minor potential costs associated with installing physical barriers (e.g., locks on gates) where deemed appropriate.
Connection to State Action (Executive Order 2025-06): In light of the recent military-style operations by federal agents in the Chicagoland area, the City of Aurora will make an effort to compile, document, and share any records of attempted or actual unauthorized use of City property by federal agents-including ICE-with the State’s recently established Illinois Accountability Commission, as per the directives of Executive Order 2025-06. This effort supports the state's work to create a public record of federal conduct and consider policy recommendations for preventing future harm to Illinois residents.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
This signals support toward Aurora’s immigrant and minority communities by building greater trust in local law enforcement. City departments will collaborate on identifying vulnerable properties and installing signage. The Corporation Counsel shall develop implementation procedures, and the Chief of Staff (or designee) shall lead enforcement and serve as the final reporting contact for attempted or actual unauthorized use of property.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Given the critical need to preserve community trust and public safety in Aurora, we strongly and recommend the immediate approval and enactment of this vital legislation: An Ordinance Creating Chapter 40, Restricting the Use of City of Aurora Property for Civil Immigration Enforcement Activities
cc: Rules, Administration, and Procedures
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
ORDINANCE NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
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An Ordinance Restricting the use of City of Aurora Property for Civil Immigration Enforcement Activities.
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WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population made up of diverse cultures and backgrounds, who all contribute to our rich cultural and social fabric, contributing every day to our vibrant economy and educational systems; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora remains committed to its responsibilities under the law while ensuring that every person, regardless of race, immigration status, or national origin, is treated with dignity and afforded basic protections; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora Council stands for basic human rights that allow our residents to live in peace in their own neighborhoods and calls for due process for all individuals in our nation; and
WHEREAS, in 2017, the State of Illinois passed the TRUST Act, which prohibits state and local law enforcement from participating in federal immigration operations, and the TRUST Act also prohibits the use of City resources for onsite support in federal civil immigration enforcement operations, including establishing traffic perimeters, use of City facilities, parking lots, vacant lots, and garages; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora does not assist with or participate in federal immigration enforcement activities and is not notified in advance of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions taking place throughout the City or on City property; and
WHEREAS, federal agents recently deployed to Illinois and the Chicago metropolitan area have used City and publicly owned parking lots, vacant lots, and garages in other communities as staging sites for civil immigration enforcement operations; and
WHEREAS, use of City of Aurora facilities and property for federal civil immigration enforcement operations would not only violate the TRUST Act but would also interfere with the City's authority and control over its own resources, property, and personnel, and erode trust between the City's immigrant communities and local law enforcement, weaking relationships essential to ensuring public safety and effective community policing; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora supports the constitutional rights of all residents of the City and affirms its dedication to be a safe and inclusive community for all; and,
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora objects to the incursions into local communities and neighborhoods disrupting the lives of law-abiding residents and the instances in our region where enforcement has led to injury and physical and emotional trauma; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora upholds its right to declare specific its property private or
for employee use only, thereby preventing those areas to be used to assemble, mobilize, deploy vehicles, equipment, or materials or related personnel for the purpose of carrying out civil immigration enforcement efforts; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows:
Section One: That the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois finds as fact all of the preamble recitals of this Ordinance.
Section Two: That the City Council hereby enacts Chapter 40, "RESTRICTIONS ON USE OF CITY OWNED PROPERTY" into the City Code of Ordinances, as described fully in Exhibit A, which is attached hereto and incorporated herein.
Section Three: That this Ordinance shall be in full force and effect, and shall be controlling, upon its passage and approval.
Section Four: That all Ordinances or part of Ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed insofar as any conflict exists.
Section Five: That any section, phrase or paragraph of this Ordinance that is construed to be invalid, void or unconstitutional shall not affect the remaining sections, phrases or paragraphs of this Ordinance which shall remain in full force and effect.