Policy Statements – Chicago Council of Lawyers

Statement Opposing Trump Administration’s Arrests, Detention, and Attempts to Deport Student Activists

In New York on Saturday, March 8, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student who had led protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza, after he returned from dinner with his pregnant wife. ICE transferred Khalil, without notice to his attor...

STATEMENT OF CHICAGO COUNCIL OF LAWYERS OPPOSING MIGRANT DETENTION CENTER IN GUANTANAMO

On January 29, 2025, President Trump issued a memorandum directing the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security to expand the Migrant Operations Center in Guantanamo Bay in order to address “immigration enforcement needs” by providing additional detention space for migrants unlawf...

New Research Documents Need For Deep Reform of Cook County Criminal Court Culture

In their new study documenting a litany of failings in the operation of the Cook County Felony Courts at 26th Street and California Avenue in Chicago, "How Culture Impacts Courtrooms: An Empirical Study of Alienation and Detachment in the Cook County Court System" ("study"), four law faculty authors...

Amicus in People v. Moore: There is no justice when access is random or when the rules are unpredictable

In May, Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts and Chicago Council of Lawyers joined an amicus brief submitted by the Children and Family Justice Center at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law in the Illinois Supreme Court case, People v. Moore. Our Collaboration for Justice is proud to add ou...

Open Letter to President Biden: End the Decades-Long Imprisonment of Men Held Without Charge at Guantánamo

The Chicago Council of Lawyers joins the International Committee of the Red Cross in calling on President Biden to release forthwith the nineteen men held without charge at Guantánamo for two decades, who already have been cleared by our government for release or transfer. Over twenty years ago,...

“Organized Retail Theft” Bill is an Extreme Approach to an Imaginary Problem

This week, the Illinois Retail Merchants’ Association succeeded in convincing the Illinois General Assembly to introduce legislation targeted at reducing “organized retail theft.” Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts and the Chicago Council of Lawyers vehemently opposed the bill, HB 1091, which...

Call to Support: Creating Opportunity for Illinoisans in Need (COIN II) Act

The statewide Creating Opportunity for Illinoisans in Need (COIN II) Act (IL HB 4423 and IL SB 3123) will increase monthly Temporary Assistance for Families in Need (TANF) grants to 50% of the federal poverty level and will implement a full passthrough and disregard policy f...

Support for SB 3635 to End Driver’s License Suspensions for Failures to Appear

UPDATE: HB 5588 has been assigned to committee for hearing on Wednesday, February 16. Please submit a witness slip in favor of the bill, as a "proponent," using this link before the hearing at 10:00 AM on Wednesday. On January 19, 2022, Illinois Senate Bill 3635 was filed by Sen. Celina...

Principles for Earned Release Sentencing Reform In Illinois

The Collaboration for Justice of Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts and the Chicago Council of Lawyers, along with a coalition of supporting organizations, have released an open letter to the Illinois Resentencing Task Force urging them to be guided by a set of shared principles for...

Chicago City Council must vote NO on the Mayor’s proposed civil asset forfeiture ordinance (O2021-4130)

Chicago’s Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced a plan to “start suing gang members to ‘take their assets’” in an attempt to curb community violence. Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts and the Chicago Council of Lawyers view the Mayor’s “Victims’ Justice Ordinance” (O2021-4130) as...

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