Guzmán affirms Chicago City Council’s vote to protect welcoming city ordinance, applauds community’s support for immigrant neighbors

CHICAGO — Following the recent efforts to weaken Chicago’s protections for immigrant and undocumented neighbors, State Senator Graciela Guzmán issued the following statement in support of the decision to keep Chicago a sanctuary city and leave the Chicago Welcoming City Ordinance intact:

“Over the past week, many in our community have been stressed and confused by alder people who brought Chicago’s welcoming city ordinance into contention. My heart goes out to everyone who was personally affected by this decision and the hateful, anti-immigrant discussion surrounding the recent city council proposal. I am grateful that Chicago’s City Council decided to firmly maintain our city’s status as a sanctuary city—reaffirming our commitment to be a welcome, safe space for all residents, documented or undocumented—and ensure that Chicago law enforcement will not be allowed to work with federal immigration agents on cases.

“While I am thankful for the elected officials that doubled down on their commitment to representing the welcoming, inclusive spirit of Chicago with their vote on this proposal, I am even more awestruck by how our community rallied in support of our undocumented neighbors in the days leading up to this decision. I am proud of our community and for the hundreds of people and community organizations who showed out in opposition of this hateful initiative. They demonstrate an important tenet: if there is an attack on the immigrant community, it is an attack on all of us. We will continue to build on the wins of this week moving forward to ensure the protections for our immigrant communities continue to be the law of the land. We will do it together by centering the power we have as a collective. You can count on my commitment to fight for immigrant rights in our state with everything I have.”

• Immigration

Toma posesión Guzmán como Senadora Estatal del Distrito 20

SPRINGFIELD— La Senadora Graciela Guzmán fue inaugurada en la 104ª Asamblea General para servir al 20º Distrito del Senado el miércoles.

“Me siento honrada de ser nombrada Senadora Estatal por el 20º Distrito de Illinois,” dijo Guzmán (D-Chicago). “Soy sólo una integrante de la fuerte y diversa comunidad que es el lado Noroeste de Chicago. Estoy comprometida a elevar nuestra visión colectiva de justicia económica para la vida cotidiana y la libertad de la clase trabajadora con mi posición en la legislatura estatal.”

Guzmán es la primera salvadoreña elegida en Illinois para la Asamblea General. Criada por padres que huyeron de la violencia de la guerra civil salvadoreña y trabajaron para construir una vida en la que sus cinco hijos pudieran prosperar, Guzmán fue consciente desde una edad temprana de las desigualdades en la sociedad, lo que dio forma a su compromiso con la creación de un cambio institucional.

• 20th District
• Spanish press release
• Inauguration

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Guzmán sworn in as State Senator of District 20

SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Graciela Guzmán was inaugurated into the 104th General Assembly to serve the 20th Senate District Wednesday.

“I am humbled to be sworn in as the State Senator for the 20th District of Illinois,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “I am just one member of the strong, diverse community that is the Northwest side of Chicago. I am committed to elevating our collective vision of economic justice for everyday people and self-determination for the working class with my position in the statehouse.” 

Guzmán is the first Salvadoran elected in Illinois to the General Assembly. Raised by parents who fled the violence of the Salvadoran Civil War and worked to build a life where their five children could thrive, Guzmán was aware from an early age of the inequities in society, which shaped her commitment to creating institutional change.

Read more: Guzmán sworn in as State Senator of District 20