Alderman Raymond Lopez called the fliers a classic example of race baiting. (Images courtesy of DNAInfo.org)
A Chicago alderman is speaking out after fliers encouraging African-American residents to report suspected undocumented immigrants were posted in neighborhoods across the city.
Raymond Lopez, alderman of Chicago’s 15th Ward, has condemned the “racist” fliers, which appeared in predominately Black communities on the city’s South and West sides, including Englewood and Roseland, Fox 32 Chicago reported. Lopez called the offensive fliers a classic example of race baiting and described whoever authored them as a “coward.”
“I represent both African-Americans and Latinos on my ward, and for any group, let alone a group that refuses to identify itself, to put these kind of racist fliers aimed at pitting Blacks vs. Latinos is just outrageous to me,” the alderman told the news station.
The fliers state that “Sanctuary city Policies endanger the [livelihood] of every American, while violating federal law and destroying the Black community.” It goes on to offer a high reward of $3,000-$10,000 “per illegal reported.”
“The flyer offers outrageous and baseless claims that Latino immigrants are taking jobs away from African-American Chicagoans,” Lopez told DNA Info. “Don’t fall for this phony argument.”
The posters come just as Attorney General Jeff Sessions and President Donald Trump’s administration softened its threat to withhold funds from cities like Chicago that offered certain protections to undocumented immigrants. Sessions has since promised to yank grants that fund law enforcement and anti-terrorism efforts — not all federal funding, as Trump originally stated.
A spokesperson for U.S. Immigration, Customs and Enforcement, better known as ICE, said that while the phone number listed on the “Ice Em” flier is the official tip line for the Dept. of Homeland Security, the poster itself is fake.
“These fliers, stickers and posters are not issued by or sanctioned by ICE,” the spokesperson told Fox 32 Chicago. “These fake fliers are similar to the recent rash of false reports involving purported ICE checkpoints and random sweeps; these reports are dangerous and irresponsible.”
Lopez likened the fliers to the divisive tactics used to make Judas sell out his own neighbors for “a few pieces of silver.”
“We all know how history remembers Judas,” he said.
