Call for 'Welcoming Community' Ordinance In Morton Grove

Submitted by Jon Lahn on behalf of the undersigned.

To the President and Trustees of the Village of Morton Grove, and candidates for election for President and
Trustee:

We, the undersigned residents, community organizations, and businesses who make up the Morton Grove
community, write to urge the Village and its leadership to move quickly to adopt a “Welcoming Community”
ordinance to ensure the security and equal dignity of all members of our community.

Morton Grove has long been a racially and ethnically diverse community and is home to numerous
immigrants from a variety of nations. Many other immigrants contribute to our community by working here
and patronizing our businesses. It is therefore in the interest of Morton Grove as a municipality to foster an
environment where immigrants, whether they are naturalized citizens, green card or visa holders, or
otherwise, feel safe and comfortable.

Furthermore, in a world of rapidly shifting and potentially unlawful policies regarding immigration and
immigration law enforcement at the federal level, it is incumbent upon us as a community to do what we can
within the boundaries of the law to ensure that our public facilities and services are a safe space for those
who are rendered vulnerable by political agendas that ignore their valuable contributions to our community
and their inherent worth as human beings.

Finally, a “Welcoming Community” ordinance will actually facilitate the administration of justice in the Village of Morton Grove. Individuals who fear that any interaction with police or municipal officials could end up in detention or deportation have been shown to avoid such contacts. Removing that concern will ensure that potential crimes are reported and other interactions with municipal authorities follow their natural flow without the shadow of immigration enforcement.

Therefore, we call upon the Village to follow the lead of other local cities and municipalities, including Skokie,
Evanston, Oak Park and Chicago, and adopt a “Welcoming Community” ordinance that will ensure that our
Village personnel will not investigate, inquire, or condition availability of services on an individual’s
immigration status and that our Police will not expend their valuable resources investigating, detaining or
apprehending individuals at the request of federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel unless
pursuant to a valid arrest warrant issued by a judge based on a finding of probable cause.

We believe that such an ordinance is both practical and reflective of the values of the Morton Grove
community, and we urge you to take action without delay

Signed,

Albert Abraham, Morton Grove resident
Evelyn Abraham, Morton Grove resident
Ashfaq Ahmed, Owner, Ruby Indo-Pak Grocery
Asrar Ahmed, Morton Grove Resident; Member, Muslim Community Center
Masood Ahmed, Owner, Marilyn’s Restaurant
Aleem Alimuddin, Morton Grove resident
Syed Alimuddin, Morton Grove resident
Ateeq Ansari, Member, Muslim Community Center
Kim Au, Morton Grove resident
Erin Balke, Morton Grove resident
Lea Beaubien, Morton Grove resident
Daniel Biss, State Senator, 9th District
Rev. Robert Burkhart, Morton Grove resident; United Methodist Pastor; Commissioner of the Morton Grove Community Relations Commission
Shirley Burkhart, Morton Grove resident
Elaine Cerny, Morton Grove resident
Janice Cha, Morton Grove resident; Commissioner of the Morton Grove Community
Relations Commission
Kristen Chalabi, Morton Grove resident
Khaula Chaudry, Morton Grove resident
May Choy, Morton Grove resident
Jon Cole, Morton Grove resident
Mark Collins, Niles Township Board Trustee
Suzanne Connor, Morton Grove Public Library patron and program participant
Beverly Copeland, Morton Grove resident
Carrie Dahm, Morton Grove resident
Elinore Davis, Morton Grove resident
Isa Domin, Morton Grove resident; member, Muslim Community Center
Rev. Lolly Dominski, Co-Pastor, Morton Grove Community Church
Pat Donahoe, Morton Grove resident
Joy Dubner, Morton Grove resident
Mary Elsner, Morton Grove resident
Lorri Fishman, Morton Grove resident
Mark Flores, Morton Grove resident
Melanie Flores, Morton Grove resident
Kelly Foersterling, Morton Grove resident
Yvonne Franz, Morton Grove resident
Laura Frisch, Morton Grove resident
Kerry Galson, Morton Grove resident
Scott Galson, Morton Grove resident
Karen Garvin, Morton Grove resident
Brenda Glenn, Morton Grove resident
Jill Giovannetti, Morton Grove resident
Charlotte Goldberg, Morton Grove resident
Ruth Gomberg-Munoz, Ph.D, Morton Grove resident
Margaret Grau, Morton Grove resident
Stephanie Gray, Morton Grove resident
Edward Gut
Sarwar Nasir
Michael Healy, Morton Grove resident
Bill Helgemo, Morton Grove resident
Ruth Helgemo, Morton Grove resident
Andrew Hoffman, Morton Grove resident
Hope Hornstein, Morton Grove resident
Rev. Bunny Hughes, Co-Pastor, Morton Grove Community Church
Rev. Elizabeth Jones,Pastor, St. Luke Christian Community Church
Mohammed Kaiseruddin, Member, Muslim Community Center
Father Fawaz Kako, Pastor, Mart Miriam Chaldean Catholic Church
Andy Kang, Legal Director, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Chicago
Ilene Kaplan
Richard Kim, Owner, Dempster Auto Service
Edward Kehm, Morton Grove resident
Christopher Kintner, Morton Grove resident
Leah Kintner, Morton Grove resident
Linda Kluver, Morton Grove resident
Jonathan Lahn, Morton Grove resident; Director, Americans in Solidarity-Chicago
Paul Lahn, Morton Grove resident
Rosemary Lahn, Morton Grove resident
Karen Later, Morton Grove resident
David Linsell, Morton Grove resident
Karen LeMaistre, Morton Grove resident
Mike LeMaistre, Morton Grove resident
Adam Longman, Morton Grove resident
Elena Longman, Morton Grove resident
Judy Lucas, Morton Grove resident; member, Morton Grove Community Church
Ted Lucas, Morton Grove resident; member of Morton Grove Community Church
Jeannie Lugtu, Morton Grove resident
Petra Maton Morton Grove resident
James Meierhoff, Morton Grove resident
Emir Memidzan, Morton Grove resident
Nijaza Memidzan, Morton Grove resident
Kim Moldofsky, Morton Grove resident
Father Thomas Mulavanal, Pastor, St. Mary's Syro-Malabar Knanaya Catholic Church
Traci Offenfeld, Morton Grove resident; member, Americans in Solidarity-Chicago
Sarwar Nasir, Member, Muslim Community Center
Father Dennis O’Neill, Pastor, St. Martha Catholic Church
Bill Page, Morton Grove resident
Janice Page, Morton Grove resident
Christine Peters, Morton Grove resident
Father Carlos Pereira SFX, Associate Pastor, St. Isaac Jogues Catholic Church
Father Mario Pereira SFX, Pastor, St. Isaac Jogues Catholic Church
Grant Peretz, Morton Grove resident
Herman Peretz, Morton Grove resident
Irene Peretz, Morton Grove resident
Lauren Peretz, Morton Grove resident
Richard Peretz, Morton Grove resident
Habeeb Quadri, Principal, Muslim Community Center Academy
Robert Racuglia, Morton Grove resident
Naushina Rahman, Morton Grove resident; member, Muslim Community Center Interfaith and
Outreach Committee
JoAnn M. Rapp, Ph.D, Morton Grove resident
Richard Roh, Owner, CellulRxpress
Matthew Rodgers, Morton Grove resident
Ronnie Rund, Morton Grove resident; member, Morton Grove Community Church
Akhter Sadiq, Morton Grove resident; member, Muslim Education Center
Marilyn Salimi, Morton Grove resident
Maria Santos, Morton Grove resident
Oli Santos, Morton Grove resident
Jan Schakowsky, United States Congresswoman, 9th Congressional District
Andrew Segal, Morton Grove resident
Mike Simkins, Morton Grove resident; Owner, Simkins Funeral Home
Wajeeha Shuttari, Morton Grove Resident; Member, Muslim Community Center
Julie Smolyansky, CEO, Lifeway Foods
Ted Smukler, Senior Organizer, Open Communities
Tzvetelina Spasova, Morton Grove resident
Susan Strack, Morton Grove resident
Jim Szczepaniak, Morton Grove Resident; District 219 Community Relations Director
Catherine Terdich, Morton Grove resident
John Terdich, Morton Grove resident
Dan Vinson, Morton Grove resident
Kristin Krueger Vinson, Morton Grove resident
Dilnaz Waraich, member, Muslim Community Center Interfaith and Outreach Committee; member of Open Communities Board of Directors
Jody Wilson, Morton Grove resident
Jason Wisnewski, Morton Grove resident
Lindley Wisnewski, Morton Grove resident
Leslie Wolfsen, Morton Grove resident
May Yoon, Co-owner, Style 4u, Morton Grove Retail Clothier
Ryan Yoon, Co-owner, Style 4u, Morton Grove Retail Clothier

Affiliations given for identification purposes only