Chicago parents and advocates demand non-citizen advisory board in schools as ICE raids increase citywide

Chicago parents and community groups are pressing Mayor Brandon Johnson to create a Non-Citizen Advisory Board for the city’s school system. Illinois lawmakers required the board when they established an elected school board in 2021. The law aims to give noncitizen students and parents a voice in the district. US citizens can also serve on the advisory board. Nearly nine months after the new school board was sworn in, the advisory board has not yet been launched, as reported by Chalkbeat Chicago . State law does not set a deadline or specify how many people the mayor should appoint. Advocates say the board is urgent as federal immigration enforcement intensifies in the city. Chalkbeat reports that a spokesperson for Mayor Johnson said the mayor’s office has held four meetings with