West Cook News

Cicero, a town in Illinois, has reaffirmed its commitment to being inclusive and supportive of all residents, regardless of their citizenship status. This comes amid criticism from an op-ed writer, Esteban Rodriguez, whose piece titled "In Cicero, a looming threat" was published on January 30. The town's spokesperson, Ray Hanania, countered the claims made by Rodriguez.

"Cicero President Larry Dominick and the town of Cicero have taken a strong stand defending the rights of all residents, including undocumented residents," said Hanania. He highlighted that in 2008, Cicero adopted the "Safe Space Resolution," ensuring that citizenship status would not be considered when providing services or protections.

The policies under this resolution emphasize that Cicero does not inquire about citizenship or residency status when residents seek services or interact with town employees. Moreover, the Police Department does not enforce federal immigration laws nor use resources to detect or detain individuals based solely on civil immigration violations.

Hanania stated that "Cicero serves as a safe space for all residents regardless of citizenship or residency status." The town also allows parents of U.S. citizen children to apply for benefits their children are entitled to and accepts foreign passports and Matricula Consular as proof of identity.

Hanania accused Rodriguez's op-ed of being misleading: "Rodriguez’s op-ed was written with full knowledge of the town’s long-standing policies and is a blatant attempt to deceive readers."

These statements reflect Cicero's ongoing dedication to upholding its inclusive policies unless otherwise required by state or federal law.