CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Cook County State's Attorney's office has created a position to specifically deal with defendants who are not U.S. citizens.
State's Attorney Kim Foxx announced that she hired immigration attorney Michael Kasprzynski to be the Cook County prosecutor's first Immigration Policy & Legal Advisor.
In a statement, Foxx's office says Kasprzynski "will work to ensure that immigrant communities feel safe to report crime and cooperate with law enforcement, without fear of retribution," and will also try to make certain that "defendants do not face unnecessary immigration consequences in Cook County, particularly for misdemeanor and low-level offenses."
The statement by Foxx's office said the Trump administration is deliberately and unjustly targeting immigrant communities.
“We can prioritize public safety while at the same time remaining thoughtful in our work with non-citizen defendants," Foxx continued. "As prosecutors, we must ensure that the decisions we make do not cause unnecessary harm, and I am proud to expand our work on behalf of these vulnerable communities.”
Prior to joining the State’s Attorney’s Office, Kasprzynski served as an immigration attorney in private practice. He has represented clients in various capacities before the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of State. As a litigator, he specialized in matters of deportation, immigrant and nonimmigrant visas, and conducted Know-Your-Rights presentations.