U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and Congressman Luis Gutierrez launched the new “Chicago is With You,” Task Force. The Task Force will collaborate on mental health, legal services, diversity training for employers, and education to ensure the City is delivering comprehensive services to immigrant, refugees and other disenfranchised communities. “History will judge where we stood when families feared being ripped apart by deportation or turned away as they fled terrorism and violence around the world. I am proud to stand with these two Chicago leaders today,” said Senator Durbin.

“At a time when the anti-immigrant rhetoric is at a fever pitch, Chicago is going to do everything we can to make sure that we keep families and communities safe while strengthening the economy and vitality of the city,” said Congressman Gutierrez. In addition to working on the four policy areas, the task force will also begin working to develop a website that will provide information about immigration resources and connect Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) youth to Chicagoans who have volunteered to provide assistance. The Task Force will be co-chaired by Mayor Emanuel, Senator Durbin and Congressman Gutierrez. Additional members include: Alderman Pat Dowell, Alderman Danny Solis, Suzanne Mendoza, Illinois Comptroller, Jorge Ramirez, Chicago Federation of Labor (CFL), Mona Noriega, Commission on Human Relations (CHR), Juan Salgado, Instituto De Progreso Latino (IDPL), Rebecca Shi, Illinois Business Immigration Coalition (IBIC), and Lawrence Benito, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) to name a few.