Skip to content
  • Subscribe
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Email
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
  • Features
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
Suburban Chicagoland

Suburban Chicagoland

Original News, Features & Opinion on local and regional news you won't find anywhere else

  • About
    • About
    • Advertise
    • Our Writers
      • Ray Hanania
      • Bill Lipinski
      • Biography: Aaron Hanania
      • Steve Metsch
      • Steve Neuhaus
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
    • Reach Out
  • Sections
    • Events
    • Opinion
    • News
    • Features
    • Seniors
    • Comic Strip
  • Library
    • “MIdnight Flight” Online Book
      • Midnight Flight Book Overview
      • Midnight Flight Introduction
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 1
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 2
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 3
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 4
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 5
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 6
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 7
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 8
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 9
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 10
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 11
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 12
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 13
    • Villages, Cities & Towns
    • Federal Office Holders
    • County Officials
    • Legislators
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Comment
  • Podcast
    • Ray Hanania on Politics
    • Two Guys on Politics
    • Hanania on Tiktok
  • News Wire
  • Toggle search form
  • Andrew Boutros US Attorney Illinois
    Former Chicago Attorney Sentenced to Two and a Half Years in Federal Prison for Tax Fraud and Witness Tampering Crime
  • Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar with Chicago region veterans. No one supports veterans more than Aguilar
    Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar honors veterans at first of monthly VetConnect Workshops at district office Cook County
  • Coffee & Conversation for the public on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, featuring two speakers who will address individual fatigue and how to empower your personal health and activism.
    Orland Fire hosts Coffee & Conversation on individual fatigue and personal health Events
  • Andrew Boutros US Attorney Illinois
    Man Sentenced to a Year and a Half in Federal Prison for Covid-Relief Fraud Crime
  • Photo submitted by Jeffery M. Leving and Associates
    Leving team protected dad’s daughter from danger and restored his peace of mind Chicago
  • 05-23-25 Jeffery M. Leving
    Children of divorce caught in the middle during the holidays Blogger
  • Muslim prayer tent, O'Hare Airport Uber/Lyft Staging Area
    O’Hare Officials say they will pursue “more permanent solutions” for Muslim prayer Tent Chicago
  • Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar
    Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar Gives Update on His Work to Support Victims of July Floods in Cook County’s 16th District Cook County
  • Adel and Omar Nofal Eagle scouts, the 224th and 225th Eagle Scouts in Troop 318’s 87-year history
    Twin Brothers from Orland Park’s Troop 318 Achieve Scouting’s Highest Honor: Eagle Scout Government
  • Andrew Boutros US Attorney Illinois
    United States Attorney’s Office in Chicago Creates New Section to Prosecute Criminal Healthcare Fraud Violations Business
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    Don’t Pay for What You Can Get for Free: How to Claim Your Property Tax Refunds  Cook County
  • 05-23-25 Jeffery M. Leving
    Dad reunited with grieving children after tragic death of mother Dads' Rights
  • Arthur Kallow CLE August 20 2025
    Leving Matrimonial Law Seminar to Address Complex Litigation Motions and Exceptions to the Hearsay Rule Arthur Kallow
  • Orland Park Mayor Jim Dodge
    Village of Orland Park Receives Clean Audit Opinion for Fiscal Year 2024 Government
  • US Congressman Mike Quigley, who represents the 5th Congressional District in Illinois and serves as the Congressional Ukraine Caucus.
    Congressmen slam President Trump’s meeting on Ukraine with accused war criminal Putin breaking news
Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez, 15th Ward, champions rights of Chicago residents

Ray Lopez leads and champions rights of Chicago residents

Posted on September 13, 2023September 13, 2023 By Ray Hanania 1 Comment on Ray Lopez leads and champions rights of Chicago residents
SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  

Ray Lopez leads and champions rights of Chicago residents

Statement on Mayor Johnson’s Next Steps with the City’s Migrant Crisis

Today, I and many of my City Council colleagues attended a briefing about the ever-growing border crisis that has reached a boiling point in our neighborhoods.  

Mayor Johnson and I share the belief that avoiding addressing the individuals, families, and children arriving by the thousands in Chicago would be more catastrophic and dangerous to our communities than any action taken to this point. However, continuing down the path set by the Lightfoot administration will only fail. Our approach must be financially sustainable and reflect the concerns of all impacted communities.  

I am cautiously optimistic about the proposal by Mayor Johnson to address the federal government’s failures in dealing with a broken immigration system.  

We must stop using police stations as a “port of entry” for migrant asylum seekers. It is not humane for them or acceptable for our officers to coexist under these circumstances.  

Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez, 15th Ward, champions rights of Chicago residents
Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez, 15th Ward, champions rights of Chicago residents

 

I am glad the Johnson administration is committed to working with me to create models for providing and maintaining safe spaces inside shelters and in the surrounding neighborhoods. I have proposed using community- and religion-specific organizations to help educate new arrivals on societal norms and customs that are acceptable and respectful of Chicagoans and our neighborhoods.  

For months, I have warned about the potential price tag taxpayers will face in light of the federal government’s inactions. The Johnson administration has confirmed my numbers: taxpayers will spend over $255 Million by year’s end on this crisis. 

The President must act – and he must act now! It is simply unacceptable that Chicago is forced to shoulder the burden for asylum-seekers because of the federal government’s unwillingness to address this crisis decades in the making. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas must immediately direct the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to immediately establish field courts to hold merit hearings on all pending asylum cases. Individuals not meeting the threshold for asylum should be deported. 

If Biden & Mayorkas refuse to enforce the law, at the very least, asylum seekers should not become wards of the state. They should be allowed temporary work status so they can become self-sufficient and contribute to the City.  

The biggest caveat for me and my community is that any attempt to grant legalized status for asylum seekers should come only after addressing the nearly 600,000 DACA recipients currently living in the United States awaiting any resolution on their status. We must address the preexisting immigration issues currently in this country.  

For Chicago, how can we, as a welcoming city, continue to open our arms to asylum seekers while stepping over our DREAMERS who were brave enough in their own right to come forward for peace of mind only to be forgotten?

newswire info
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.  

His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at [email protected].

Follow RayHanania at Twitter
Ray Hanania
Latest posts by Ray Hanania (see all)
  • Former Chicago Attorney Sentenced to Two and a Half Years in Federal Prison for Tax Fraud and Witness Tampering - August 28, 2025
  • Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar honors veterans at first of monthly VetConnect Workshops at district office - August 28, 2025
  • Orland Fire hosts Coffee & Conversation on individual fatigue and personal health - August 28, 2025
  • Tweet

SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  
 
 
 
           
Chicago, Civil Rights, Federal, Government, immigrant, News, Politics Tags:11 million illegal immigrants, City of Chicago, families, federal government failures, immigrants, Mayor Johnson, migrant crisis, Raymond Lopez

Post navigation

Previous Post: Hastings reminds residents to make a plan during National Preparedness Month
Next Post: Cicero celebrates Mexican Independence with festivities and parade

Related Posts

  • The Kennedys and the Connallys in the presidential limousine moments before the assassination in Dallas Victor Hugo King, who placed the photograph in the public domain (presumably when he gave it to the Library of Congress). Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
    “Conspiradentalism” and the murder of John F. Kennedy Baby Boomers
  • Fathers Rights Attorney Jeffery M. Leving
    Leving Matrimonial Law Seminar: Essential Practice Strategies to Best Represent Clients in Complex Family Law Cases Arthur Kallow
  • Fizzled Fourth News
  • Take it outside? News
  • Mustangs’ chicken BBQ today News
  • Illinois leaders denounce Trump’s campus harassment changes breaking news

More Related Articles

Wolves Hockey. Photo courses of the Wolves Wolves lose Game 3 of Calder Cup Finals to Checkers News
Goodman Theater in Chicago, Photo courtesy of the Goodman Theater Tickets on sale for  Christina Anderson’s “The Ripple, The Wave That Carried me home” performance Chicago
Difference between O’Grady and Pekau is night and day Blogger
METRA Train hits front of Bus in Orland Park Fe. 4, 2022. Photo courtesy of the Orland Fire Protection DIstrict School bus stalls on tracks hit by train in Orland Park, no injuries Cook County
"Inherit the Wind" performance at the Goodman Theatre, rehearsal shots. Courtesy of the Goodman Theatre Inherit the Wind performance extended through Oct. 20 at The Goodman Theatre Chicago
McLaughlin blasts Pekau for using board meetings to promote his political campaign elections

Comment (1) on “Ray Lopez leads and champions rights of Chicago residents”

  1. Pingback: "The Driver's Side" – News From The Motorist's Perspective | theexpiredmeter.com

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Login with your Social ID
Subscribe to Ray Hanania's column graphic

Enter Your Email to Subscribe to Ray Hanania’s Columns

  • OPINION
  • 05-23-25 Jeffery M. Leving
    Children of divorce caught in the middle during the holidays
    August 27, 2025
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    We Can Help You Understand Your Property Taxes—In Nearly Any Language
    August 8, 2025
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    How My Office Handles Billions — And Protects Every Penny
    July 25, 2025
  • 06-04-25 Two Guys on Politics Background Zoom LOGO with images
    Video Podcast on Trump’s problems with Jeffrey Epstein, Netanyahu’s coalition in jeopardy
    July 19, 2025
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    Everything you need to know about your Property Index Number or PIN
    July 12, 2025
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png
  • NEWS
  • Andrew Boutros US Attorney Illinois
    Former Chicago Attorney Sentenced to Two and a Half Years in Federal Prison for Tax Fraud and Witness Tampering
    August 28, 2025
  • Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar with Chicago region veterans. No one supports veterans more than Aguilar
    Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar honors veterans at first of monthly VetConnect Workshops at district office
    August 28, 2025
  • Coffee & Conversation for the public on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, featuring two speakers who will address individual fatigue and how to empower your personal health and activism.
    Orland Fire hosts Coffee & Conversation on individual fatigue and personal health
    August 28, 2025
  • Andrew Boutros US Attorney Illinois
    Man Sentenced to a Year and a Half in Federal Prison for Covid-Relief Fraud
    August 28, 2025
  • Photo submitted by Jeffery M. Leving and Associates
    Leving team protected dad’s daughter from danger and restored his peace of mind
    August 28, 2025
John Kass Columns

Order the book PoweR PR; Ethnic Activists Guide to Strategic Communications

YOUTUBE VIDEOS

CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO RAY HANANIA'S YOUTUBE VIDEOS


Click here to view the video on YouTube or use the widget below.

Follow Ray Hanania at
Twitter
Facebook
TitkTok
BlueSky
RayHanania Columns

Creative Commons License
All works on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

Categories

Copyright © 2022 Suburban Chicagoland & Urban Strategies Group

Powered by PressBook Premium theme