Immigration is a central question among the 10 candidates in the Democratic primary March 17 to fill the 2nd Congressional seat.

Immigration was the first question for three of the candidates at a forum Saturday, March 7, at Thornton Fractional North High School in Calumet City.

A student, who introduced herself as a daughter of immigrants, asked what candidates Ashley Banks, Eric France and Robert Peters would do if elected about the tactics employed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

All three said, “Abolish ICE.”  

ICE and Customs and Border Protection agents have engaged in often violent arrests in cities around the country, including Chicago last fall and most recently in Minneapolis.  

Banks cited the scenes of violent arrests shown in recent months on TV and social media apps.

“Why are we paying taxes to be terrorized in our communities?” she said, and floated the idea that residents might be due a refund for tax money used to fund extreme enforcement tactics.

France said the entire immigration system should be re-evaluated and rebuilt. 

“It should not take anyone a 25-year path to citizenship and tons of fees that it costs,” he said. “It needs to be a speedy path.”

He said rebuilding the system and holding immigration officials accountable hinges on whether Democrats are able to retake control of the U.S. Houseof Representatives in November.

Peters, currently state senator for the 13th District, said his office had seen the “attacks on our community” and the fear generated by enforcement operations.

At the League of Women Voters/Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce forum on Feb. 21, Peters answered a similar question with a suggestion that part of the reform effort involves stabilizing local communities and the nations many immigrants come from.

“We’re the richest, most powerful country on the history of the planet. Instead of having communities that have been disinvested in, we need to put investment in them. And we can’t be draining resources out of places like Venezuela,” he said. “So how do we make sure that we are demilitarizing our immigration process, making sure our neighbors are stable and continuing to do what we need to do at home?”

He said ending generous tax breaks for billionaires would provide the resources needed to make a system that works for people.

Also at the league/chamber forum, candidate Willie Preston concurred with Peters’ approach and noted another factor: While so much attention has been paid to immigrants under threat from ICE, many Black people feel the issues they have faced are being overlooked.

Candidate Adal Regis, speaking at the league/chamber forum, said he is the son of Haitian immigrants who fled an authoritarian government, so he is sympathetic to immigrants’ plight. 

“The irony of it is my parents left Haiti to come here, fleeing an authoritarian government, but then their kids, their grandkids, have to face the same reality right now,” he said.

He advocated for the DREAM Act, first introduced in 2001, which would provide a path to citizenship for people who were brought to the U.S. as children and have no connection with their parents’ country of origin. But he noted that policy should be balanced by better border enforcement.

“I believe it’s important for us to enforce our borders because it’s a question of national security,” he said.

Former 2nd District Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., in an interview with the Chronicle, indicated reforming the Constitution could be part of the solution to immigration issues. He said the 14th Amendment, which provides for equal protection under the law, needs strengthening.

“We need more specific citizenship rights added to the Constitution,” he said. “I’ve got to be able to go to the Constitution and get a clean, safe and sustainable environment and not more ICE policing. I would hold ICE agents accountable … and I would do it on day one.”

In an interview with the Chronicle, candidate Donna Miller said she agreed with current 2nd District Rep. Robin Kelly’s effort to impeach former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who was removed March 5 from the position by President Donald Trump.

“ICE was established to make sure that we’re protecting our borders. That makes sense,” Miller said.  “Not assaulting our own citizens.”

Yumeka Brown said abolishing ICE would be a top priority for her. 

“I think having a weaponized agency within our communities is horrible, for any person to be treated like a dog on the street because they want to come to this country and fight for the American dream,” she said. “Immigrants helped build this country.”