Lincolnwood Trustees Call for Immigration Signs but Take No Action

(LINCOLNWOOD, ILLINOIS) Lincolnwood village trustees heard calls to publicly post signs listing immigration resources but took no formal action during their January 21, 2025 board meeting, leaving the proposal without a vote, directive, or timeline. Instead, trustees offered verbal guidance and referrals, steering residents to outside legal help while stopping short of approving physical signage in public spaces.

The discussion unfolded in the Gerald C. Turry Village Board Room at the Lincolnwood Municipal Complex, where the board convened with Mayor Patel presiding. Trustees Martel, Halevi, Saleem, Sargon, Diaz Herrera, and Klatzco were present, along with Village Manager Anne Marie Gaura, Assistant Village Manager Madeline Farrell, and other department heads. The meeting had no agenda item related to placing signs with immigration resources in village buildings or public areas, and the official minutes record no motion, vote, or directive to staff on the matter.

Trustee Halevi told colleagues he had spoken with the Niles Township Supervisor about potential immigration raids and urged residents concerned about their status to contact the North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic. He provided the clinic’s phone number, 847-737-4042, as the primary referral for immigration help. The direct recommendation underscored a practical step residents could take if they fear enforcement activity, but the board did not move the request for signs forward into policy.

The absence of any board action means Lincolnwood has not committed to installing signs in village hall, libraries, community centers, or other public venues that might tell residents where to turn for immigration resources. While trustees acknowledged the topic and shared a resource that could be useful to families, the board did not pass a resolution, introduce an ordinance, or instruct staff to design, print, and place signs. Minutes from the session reflect that no item related to signage was taken up for formal consideration, and no follow-up assignment to staff was recorded.

The question of visibility has become a practical one in Lincolnwood. Residents who want clear information in public spaces—such as posters near service counters or signs at building entrances—left the January meeting without a timeline for seeing those materials. The board’s response relied on a verbal referral rather than a public posting that could reach people who might not attend meetings, monitor village websites, or follow official social media. For people anxious about potential immigration raids, the difference is not just symbolic:

“A sign can tell them, in the moment and in a familiar place, exactly where to call.”

What trustees offered instead was a single, specific resource. The North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic can field calls at 847-737-4042, and Trustee Halevi’s referral was framed as help for residents who fear enforcement or have questions about their status. It was the most concrete advice to emerge from the meeting, but it places the onus on residents to obtain and remember the number rather than relying on posted information in municipal buildings. For those who prefer to start with official government materials, federal guidance and local referrals are available through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, including the USCIS Find Legal Services page.

The board’s handling of the issue came against a backdrop of ongoing enforcement activity that the village itself has acknowledged. In a statement dated October 22, 2025, Lincolnwood noted ongoing immigration enforcement in the area but did not announce any new public outreach measures such as signage. As of November 2, 2025, the village’s official updates continued to direct residents to legal aid and support programs and still did not include a plan to post signs with immigration resources in public facilities.

Several elements typically precede a change like installing signs—an agenda item, a public discussion on design and placement, and a directive to staff with a budget for printing and installation—but none of those steps appeared in the January 21, 2025 minutes. There was no resolution to designate locations or set standards for the information to be included, no vote to approve costs, and no instruction to return with a draft plan. The record shows the board listened and shared guidance but did not move into the procedural steps that usually signal a policy change.

For residents who want visible, durable sources of information, the lack of posted signs means they must rely on word of mouth, community groups, and digital channels to find immigration resources. People who attended the meeting or watched the proceedings heard the North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic’s number—847-737-4042—but anyone who did not follow the board session would not see that information by walking into village hall or a community facility. Public signs can fill that gap by putting phone numbers and names in front of people at libraries, service desks, and bulletin boards, especially for those who do not use the internet regularly or who prefer to get help in person.

The village’s leadership lineup was complete on the night the discussion took place. Mayor Patel presided while trustees Martel, Halevi, Saleem, Sargon, Diaz Herrera, and Klatzco took part. Administrators including Village Manager Anne Marie Gaura and Assistant Village Manager Madeline Farrell attended with department heads, but no staff assignment emerged from the conversation. The board’s structure and attendance mattered because a quorum was present and could have taken action had there been a motion on the floor. There was none.

In practical terms, nothing changes immediately for anyone seeking help. The most direct path remains the one stated aloud by Trustee Halevi: call the North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic. The clinic’s number—847-737-4042—was repeated during the meeting as a first stop for those with immigration questions or fears tied to potential raids. Beyond that, residents can consult federal resources such as USCIS Find Legal Services if they want to understand how to get authorized legal assistance and avoid scams. Those avenues exist without physical signs, but they require residents to already know where to look.

The context of ongoing enforcement adds urgency for some families, which helps explain why calls for signs have persisted. The village’s October 22, 2025 statement acknowledged enforcement activity in the area, and the November 2, 2025 snapshot showed that no new outreach via public signage had begun. In the meantime, Lincolnwood continues to point residents to legal aid and support programs. That approach favors referrals and centralized communication over fixed, site-specific signs in buildings where people live, work, and seek services.

The board’s decision to listen but not act also leaves open questions about what would go on any signs if the proposal returns. Basic elements might include the North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic’s name and the 847-737-4042 phone number, along with a note about confidentiality or available languages. Some communities include hours or direct lines for nearby clinics, but in Lincolnwood’s case the content has not been drafted, discussed, or approved. Without a vote, staff cannot design materials, vet translations, or determine where in the Municipal Complex or other facilities signs would be placed.

For now, Lincolnwood residents who want immigration resources have to bridge the gap on their own or through community groups. The meeting’s main takeaway was the single phone number and the awareness that trustees are watching the situation while holding off on a signage campaign. The lack of a formal vote makes the status clear: no resolution, no ordinance, and no directive for signs. If the board revisits the matter at a future meeting, it will likely require an agenda item and a public discussion before anything appears on a wall or bulletin board.

The distinction between verbal guidance and posted signs may seem small, but it can shape who actually reaches help. A sign in a lobby is hard to miss; a phone number mentioned in a meeting is easy to forget. With enforcement concerns in the backdrop and residents looking for clear, immediate information, the question for Lincolnwood is whether the next meeting will carry the proposal onto the agenda and into a vote. Until then, the village’s approach remains referral-driven rather than signage-based, and the clearest advice for anyone in town seeking help is direct and specific: call the North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic at 847-737-4042.