Group issues Carpentersville mayor a challenge (Carpentersville, Ill.)

Carpentersville group wants discussion on illegal immigration

By Larissa Chinwah
Daily Herald Staff Writer

Members of the Fox Valley Citizens for Legal Immigration say they are tired of Carpentersville Village President Bill Sarto’s repressive treatment of discussions concerning illegal immigration.

Now, group leaders have strapped on their gloves and thrown down a challenge to the mayor: Hold a public discussion on illegal immigration.

The group, established to support Carpentersville trustees Paul Humpfer and Judy Sigwalt in their efforts to introduce an immigration-related ordinance in October, will hold a news conference at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the VFW hall in West Dundee to officially announce the challenge.

“We are just trying to give our residents a chance to speak because Bill Sarto won’t,” Sigwalt said. “We are upset because he is denying people’s constitutional rights to free speech.”

Sarto said he would accept any challenge but said the group is misrepresenting his position.

“They might be surprised that I oppose illegal immigration.” Sarto said. “I don’t support it in any shape or form. We differ on who’s responsible and who has the resources to deal with it.”

In addition, Sarto said he questions the challenges objective.

“If they really wanted to get information out there, they should go to someone who has knowledge in the field,” Sarto said. “They can drag me into this and I will be willing to give them limited views on the subject.”

In a news release issued Friday, leaders of the Fox Valley group said, “We the people of the village of Carpentersville will not stand silent on this matter.”

“We are just tired of the lack of discussion and the fact that we cannot have a discussion,” Humpfer said.

Last month, the Carpentersville League of Women Voters canceled a discussion on immigration policy after Sarto wrote the Dundee Township Park District to voice his concerns over holding the event at the Senior Center in Carpentersville.

In an e-mail to League leaders, Sarto said “a rational discussion cannot be held on this very volatile subject.”

“We don’t need public forums that will pit one against the other, neighbor against neighbor,” Sarto said.

In addition, the public-comments portion of several recent village board meetings barred any remarks related to illegal immigration or the proposed ordinance. The board discussion was postponed after nearly 3,000 people crowded onto village hall grounds. The village had planned to hold a special meeting dedicated to the proposed ordinance once it could find an appropriate site to accommodate the large turnout expected to attend.

But last month trustees voted 4-3 to table the item indefinitely until pending litigation in towns like Hazleton, Pa., is resolved.

Sarto cast the deciding vote in the decision.

The news conference announcing the challenge is scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday at the VFW Hall, 117 S. 1st St. in West Dundee.