W E D N E S D A Y
February 26, 2025 Vol. 45, No. 34
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JOURNAL @oakpark
of Oak Park and River Forest
The watchword is: Vigilance Oak Park’s Migrant Ministry looks to protect 4th Amendment rights of immigrants
St. Patrick’s Day Parade Page 17
Scaman, Parakkat spar at Journal election forum Full slate of Oak Park village candidates spoke Monday night, police station, village hall took center stage By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter
SAM TUCKER
By SAM TUCKER Contributing Reporter
With the Trump administration’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants, a local Oak Park agency that once focused mainly on providing support services to immigrants now has a new focus: staying vigilant to protect the rights of those it serves. The Migrant Ministry, started in 2023 as a way to provide showers and other basic services to local immigrants, has in this short time helped more than 14,000 migrants with basic necessities and wraparound support services. Now, although its client numbers are down, the Oak Park agency has an added focus: taking precautions as federal
immigration enforcement is allowed to conduct arrests in places of worship. “All of a sudden, the Fourth Amendment means a whole lot,” said Celine Woznica, the director of program development. The ministry currently operates out of Centro San Edmundo, 200 S. Oak Park Ave. The building was previously St. Edmund School. “We are not stopping. We are exercising precautions, but we continue to welcome the migrants. We want to create an atmosphere within the building that they are safe, and that we uphold their dignity and their rights.” See MIGRANTS on page 16
Building Community since 1993
Vicki Scaman and Ravi Parakkat, the two candidates for Oak Park village president, were combative Monday night during an election forum sponsored by Wednesday Journal. Scaman, the current village president, and Parakkat, a current trustee, were critical of the others position on plans to build a new police station, thoroughly remodel the current village hall and how to pay for both projects. The event, held in the Veterans Room at the Oak Park Public Library on Lake Street, drew over 100 community members looking to hear what the candidates had to say, with a few dozen more watching from home via a livestream. Laura Maychruk moderated the forum. See ELECTION FORUM on page 10
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