Will County Board Committee Passes Contentious ‘Live and Work Without Fear’ Resolution on 4-3 Vote

Will County Legislative Committee Meeting October 7, 2025

Article Summary: The Will County Legislative Committee on Tuesday narrowly passed a controversial resolution affirming the county’s commitment to ensuring all residents can live without fear of racial profiling or unjust detention, following a heated debate over its factual claims and purpose. The resolution, which passed 4-3 after an amendment was added concerning the identification of federal immigration officers, drew accusations of being inflammatory and based on unverified information.

“Live and Work Without Fear” Resolution Key Points:

• The committee passed Resolution 25-3117, which affirms constitutional protections for all residents regardless of immigration status and calls on state and federal governments to adopt policies prohibiting immigration enforcement in sensitive locations.

• Board members Daniel J. Butler and Julie Berkowicz strongly opposed the measure, calling its claims “reckless and dangerous” and “not truthful,” specifically challenging an assertion of a “kidnapping” at the Will County Courthouse.

• The committee approved an amendment to the resolution calling for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to be visibly identifiable and refrain from wearing masks.

• The resolution passed on a 4-3 vote, with nearly 300 public comments having been submitted on the issue ahead of a previously scheduled full board vote.

JOLIET, IL – After a prolonged and often personal debate, the Will County Legislative Committee on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, approved a resolution declaring the county’s commitment to protecting all residents from racial profiling and aggressive immigration enforcement, passing the measure on a narrow 4-3 vote.

The resolution, titled “Declaring Will County’s Commitment to Ensure Communities Can Live and Work Without Fear,” was sponsored by Committee Chair Destinee Ortiz. She positioned it as a fundamental affirmation of constitutional principles.

“At its core, this resolution is about affirming something very simple: that every person in Will County deserves to feel safe in their own community,” Ortiz said. “The Fifth Amendment states that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law. It does not say no citizen. It says no person.”

The resolution’s text alleges that “aggressive enforcement actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Will County communities, including incidents at schools, on roadways, and within the Will County Courthouse itself, creating widespread fear and trauma among residents.”

These claims drew sharp condemnation from opposing board members.

“Most of the statements put in there were false,” said board member Daniel J. Butler, calling the resolution’s language “reckless and dangerous.” He specifically refuted an allegation mentioned in the debate: “There was accusations of a kidnapping at a courthouse. None of that happened. I checked with the sheriff.”

Board member Julie Berkowicz echoed the sentiment, labeling the statements “irresponsible and inflammatory.” She questioned the factual basis for claims in the resolution, such as a statistic that “more than 70% of individuals currently in ICE detention nationally have no criminal convictions.” “For us to put our names on something that is not truthful and valid is reckless,” Berkowicz said.

The debate intensified when Ortiz introduced an amendment requiring ICE officers to “visibly identify themselves and refrain from wearing masks or face coverings except where medically necessary.” She argued the measure was a response to incidents where unidentified individuals in plain clothes and masks have detained people.

“How do I know that you aren’t just some random person off the street just kidnapping people?” Ortiz asked. “And that has happened.”

The amendment passed 4-3, with supporters arguing it was a common-sense measure for law enforcement accountability. “If you’re an officer, show me your badge. It’s as simple as that,” said board member Sherry Williams, a former police dispatcher.

Opponents argued the measure was unsafe for federal agents. “We all know that they are being doxed and their families are being put in jeopardy,” Butler said.

The final, amended resolution also passed by a 4-3 vote. The measure calls upon the state and federal governments to adopt policies that prohibit immigration enforcement in sensitive locations like courthouses and schools and increase transparency in enforcement actions.

The resolution was originally scheduled for a full County Board vote on October 16 but was postponed from that agenda last week after it became clear revisions were needed. The issue had already generated nearly 300 public comments submitted to the county. It will now advance to the full board at a future date.