Kendall County Times

Jim Marter, a candidate for the 14th Congressional District and Chairman of the Kendall County Republican Party, commended the Joliet City Council for passing an ordinance aimed at regulating unscheduled drop-offs of illegal immigrants. The move follows similar actions in nearby suburban municipalities all responding to a surge in busloads of illegal immigrants, raising concerns about the strain on police resources.

“Seeking asylum is when you enter our ports of entry legally,” Marter said after his campaign team attended the Joliet City Council on Tuesday where a public comment expressing that individuals who are seeking legal asylum in the country, deserve the chance to pursue that opportunity. “When you choose to come across the border illegally, you are a criminal illegal alien.

Marter also applauded the city’s effort to address the illegal immigrant concerns.

“Several people testified in support and the council voted favorably,” he said on Facebook. “It was discussed that the ordinance was just step # 1 to the illegal immigrant issue.”

“Special thanks to Mayor D’Arcy and city council for their leadership in putting their constituents first.”

The action taken by Joliet City Council is part of a wider trend within the Chicagoland region. Suburban police agencies have been dealing with an increase in busloads of illegal immigrants arriving in municipalities such as Lockport and Joliet. In response, the Will County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) is collaborating with local municipalities to devise plans for managing these unexpected arrivals. Several suburbs including Fox River Grove, Elmhurst, and Kankakee have faced unannounced migrant drop-offs, leading local authorities to issue emergency orders and implement ordinances. The Aurora City Council has also recently approved an ordinance requiring transportation companies to provide advance notice of bus arrivals, a regulation that mirrors those in Chicago, as reported by West Cook News.

Marter is a seasoned IT professional with over three decades of experience in the information technology and services industry. His extensive background includes key roles in business process design, quality management, IT strategy, and SAP ERP, with a specialization in Quality Management and Supply Chain Logistics. Currently serving as a SAP QM Platinum Consultant at QMS, Inc. since April 2012, Marter has demonstrated expertise in business process improvement, management consulting, quality assurance, system configuration, and product quality. Concurrently, he is the CEO of Marter Enterprises, LLC, an information technologies company based in the Greater Chicago Area, according to his LinkedIn profile.

The 14th Congressional District includes Kendall, the southern half of DeKalb County, northern LaSalle County, northeast Putnam County, and part of Will, Kane and Bureau Counties. It is currently held by U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.). She has been representing the 14th Congressional District since 2019, according to congress.gov.