Buffalo Grove Village Board cites safety in setting regulations for bus drop-off of migrants in village: ‘There is nothing political about this ordinance’

Buffalo Grove became one of the latest towns to set regulations for buses dropping off migrants arriving from Texas after crossing into the country at the southern border, with the Village Board Tuesday night calling for advance notice and setting hefty fines if rules are not followed.

Buffalo Grove village trustees voted 6-0 at the Village Board meeting Tuesday to adopt a new ordinance that requires bus operators to provide an application and detailed plan identifying how the individuals being dropped off will be cared for, housed and fed – either temporarily or permanently.

The application must be submitted five days before the bus arrives, according to the ordinance. A violation of the ordinance includes fines of $300 to $1,000 per occurrence, and could include seizure and impoundment of the bus. Some area suburbs have considered, and even approved, similar plans.

“There is nothing political about this ordinance, as much as people may want to be the case,” Village President Eric Smith said at the meeting. “The decision to adopt this ordinance is rooted in care. Our top priority is and always will be public safety. There is no bias or discrimination. We are adopting this ordinance for safety reasons.”

Chicago leaders recently passed an ordinance restricting bus drop offs of inbound migrants – many who have traveled from as far away as Venezuela seeking asylum in the United States – to a specified zone during limited hours or face fines. As a result, buses have been dropping off migrants in suburban towns, including Highland Park and Libertyville, and putting them on Metra commuter trains to travel into the city.

Buffalo Grove has a Metra station and Pace bus stop on Commerce Court in the village, and Vernon Township owns and operates the Prairie View Metra station on North Main Street. However, service is only available from 5:57 a.m. to 4:16 p.m. on weekdays only.

Village officials said the new ordinance would prevent off-hour and weekend drop offs, particularly in cold weather conditions in places where there is no shelter or food.

“There are two Metra stations in Buffalo Grove that have very limited service and access to Chicago, and it would be a travesty to people who were dropped off here for their health, safety and welfare,” Trustee Andrew Stein said.

Police Chief Brian Budds told the board the ordinance gives his department the resources and tools it needs to keep everyone in the community safe if officers are faced with the unexpected.

“This is a great example of how the village of Buffalo Grove approaches issues in the community. It shows the compassion our village has for people, for people who have traveled a long way and are randomly dropped off without blankets, linens, towels, money or food,” saod Trustee Joanne Johnson. “We’re empowering our public safety employees to help people continue their journey to Chicago. We’ve done the best we can do.”

Lee Goodman, a Northbrook resident and member of Witness at the Border, an immigrant advocacy group, called the ordinance discriminatory based on national origin.

Buffalo Grove resident Daniel Vishny commended the board for watching out for the safety of village residents. He said the ordinance was not discriminatory because the migrants entered the country illegally.

Nancy Goodman, also of Northbrook, countered that the arriving migrants had been cleared at the border as asylum seekers.

Elizabeth Owens-Schiele is a freelancer.