AURORA, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A new ordinance in Aurora attempts to hold accountable those involved in sending migrants by bus.
A special city council meeting held on the 5th floor of City Hall in Aurora ended in a 9-1 vote in favor of adopting an ordinance, effective immediately, that requires transportation companies to notify the city at least five days prior to arrival and then receive approval first before individuals are allowed to disembark in Aurora.
That approval will only be granted upon presentation to the city of a detailed plan that identifies how the individuals will be cared for, housed, and fed-temporarily or permanently. Unscheduled and thereby un-permitted drop-offs will be subject to a fine with busses subject to forfeiture.
Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin said after the vote that the ordinance is not meant to punish migrants, but to protect them and hold accountable those putting them in unsafe conditions referring to "those who are irresponsibly and inhumanely dropping off migrants here without provisions and care that they need to be treated with the basic dignity that human beings should be treated with."
The ordinance passed despite a full 30 minutes of opposition during public comment.
"What's the matter with you? This is not civil what you're trying to do," said one man addressing the council members.
Another resident also spoke in support of the migrants.
"I hope when they look back at this time of trauma in their lives, Aurora is a reprieve in the chaos and our city is remembered for it compassion and the beauty of its people," she said.
Nathan, a community organizer, also expressed his disagreement with the ordinance.
"It is quite a shame that we're trying to pass an ordinance to restrict the amount of (migrant) buses coming into our city and inherently restricting the amount of migrants we can take into the city," he said.
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