A little background – those defending the new proposal say this'll deter Texas Gov. Greg Abbott from continuing to send asylum-seekers to Chicago with one-way bus tickets, but they're wrong.
Repealing the Welcoming City ordinance would only further the ignorance, racism and xenophobia Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans work so hard to push.
The ordinance came out of former Mayor Harold Washington's legacy and centers around the rights of undocumented residents and protecting them from ICE.
Repealing it would suggest that Chicagoans subscribe to Trump's "build a wall" rhetoric, instead of painting us in our true light: a welcoming community, respective of immigrants' humanity.
Senator Robert Peters was born in 1985 deaf and with a massive speech impediment. His biological mother was addicted to drugs and alcohol, and his adopted mother and father were a social worker and a civil rights lawyer. He saw first hand the impact and devastation of the racist war on drugs.
As he grew up, he admired the work his father did as a civil rights and criminal defense attorney, challenging wrongdoing by the police. This combined with the effect of the criminalization of addiction, inspired his work on criminal justice reform rooted in the safety, freedom, and wellness of all people.
A defining moment for Peters was the Great Recession, as he struggled to find work and lost his parents within a year and a half of each other. He found his power through political organizing in solidarity with a variety of organizations in Chicago fighting for justice.
As a state senator, Peters has championed the end of cash bail in Illinois after years of organizing around it before becoming a Senator. This legislative session alone, Peters has passed six bills out of the Senate, as he continues to push Illinois forward as a leader in criminal justice reform and true public safety for all. He chairs the Labor Committee in the Senate and is Chair of the Senate Black Caucus. He is focused on environmental justice, racial justice, economic freedom, and public safety for all.
Prefer to donate by mail? Please address a check to:
Peters for Illinois
PO Box 15118
Chicago, IL 60615-5139
