Deerfield To Consider Migrant Bus Ordinance At Next Meeting: Mayor

DEERFIELD, IL — While no buses carrying migrants and asylum seekers have been seen in Deerfield yet, Mayor Dan Shapiro said he wants to "address how we can plan and care for those who may seek help in our Village" if they do arrive.

In a Monday message to the community, Shapiro said the Deerfield Village Board will consider an ordinance at its Jan. 16 meeting that would potentially place regulations on any buses that leave people in Deerfield unannounced. The meeting, which has been moved to Tuesday due to Martin Luther King Jr. Day the previous day, will be held at 7:30 p.m. at Village Hall, 850 Waukegan Road.

"We are closely monitoring where and when buses are dropping off migrants and asylum seekers in nearby communities and are keenly aware of some of the challenges we may face if and when they arrive to the Village," Shapiro said.

Last week, Patch reported nearby Lake County community Buffalo Grove followed recent decisions made by other Chicagoland suburbs by passing its own ordinance to regulate the unscheduled bus stops. In Buffalo Grove, violation of the ordinance could entail fines of $300 to $1,000 per occurrence and could include seizure and impoundment of the bus.

The approval of the amendment to Chapter 10 of the municipal code gives the police chief authorization to regulate the unscheduled bus stops by requiring an application and at least a five-day notice. Similar ordinances have been passed in Hinsdale, Woodstock and Joliet.

The Buffalo Grove ordinance, which describes the unscheduled drop-offs as "inhumane" and "threaten public safety," states the bus operator must provide a plan that details how the people being dropped off will be care for, housed and fed on a temporary or permanent basis as part of the application process.

RELATED: Ordinance Regulating Migrant Bus Drop-Offs Passes In Buffalo Grove

Shapiro said "several" residents have reached out to him wondering how Deerfield will handle the situation.

"I appreciate everyone in the community who has reached out with care and concern," Shapiro said.

Shapiro noted that many of the migrants are coming from Venezuela, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, attempting to flee "socioeconomic hardships and unsafe conditions." He added that natural disasters and "poor governance" have also fueled the influx, with border crossing surging in Texas, where Gov. Greg Abbott continues to relocate migrants to major U.S. cities like Chicago, Denver and New York.

Shapiro said that since Chicago has adopted its own regulations for buses transporting migrants into the city, the bus drivers have attempted to circumvent the new rules by dropping them off in the suburbs. While Shapiro acknowledges most drivers will redirect the buses to their designated locations in Chicago, others have given the migrants a Metra ticket once in the suburb that will take them to where they're supposed to go.

"In some cases, those on the bus have been dropped off at random locations without notice, winter clothes and means of immediately making it to the Intake Center in Chicago," Shapiro said. "In such cases, local organizations and communities have provided shelter and food on a temporary basis until a better solution is found."

Last week in Palatine, Patch reported a bus carrying around 40 migrants from Texas was stopped from dropping them off at the Metra station there. Police found the group getting off the bus, but were able to get all the passengers to reboard with the help of the driver. Soon thereafter, the bus driver was provided with the designated drop-off location in Chicago, which police believe was the intended destination. Officers accompanied the bus out of the Village limits.

RELATED: Bus Stopped From Dropping Off Migrants At Palatine Metra — Police

Shapiro said he and his staff have been meeting regularly to "develop a protocol" for assisting migrants and asylum seekers. He said the Village has reached out to the Metropolitan Mayor's Caucus, Lake County Office of Emergency Management, Cook County Office of Emergency Management, City of Chicago, PADS of Lake County, transportation companies and others.

"In this ever-evolving situation, we continue to closely watch both local and national events, consult with our local partners, law enforcement and our neighbors as how we will best be able to respond to the needs of those who may soon be arriving while at the same time maintain the safety and security of our Village," concludes Shapiro, who said anyone wanting to donate to charities benefiting the City of Chicago with the migrant intake can do so here.