In response to “Commissioners voice support for police dept. amid ‘maligning’ comments,” Aug. 28:
Immigrant advocates and residents have been gaslit by certain commissioners. Here’s the record:
April 2024 to September 2025: federal immigration authorities had access to our license plate reader data for 17 months. The Secretary of State disclosed that, not the village, and called it a violation of state law. The village said we weren’t in any trouble, and has never said how many plate reads went out. No investigation, no discipline.
April 27, 2026: off duty and outside his jurisdiction, Lt. Daniel Miller pulled a gun on an 18-year-old at a red light and dragged her from her car. Chief Gross promised the findings would be public. Four months later, nothing. Miller has 17 complaints since 2008, known only because a reporter filed FOIA. In 2021 the village paid nearly $600,000 over a man he shot and killed.
May 11, 2026: the council unanimously hired a crisis PR firm regarding Miller, and an outside investigator six weeks later. Reputation management came first. We still have no findings, and Miller is paid not to work as you read this.
July 30, 2026: an ICE agent was admitted past a restricted door at Village Hall. A village employee claimed the agent’s car as his own, on video, and moved it so he could get away from the teenager filming him.
July 31 through Aug. 14: the village described those involved only as “police personnel,” and the mayor said the answer was more training. Only on Aug. 14, to a TV reporter, did he confirm the Chief and Deputy Chief decided it. He had known since the week it happened, and said nothing to the residents who asked at the podium on Aug. 10.
Now: Gross retires with a full pension and no findings. Deputy Chief Chin, the other decision-maker, remains second in command.
At the Aug. 24 meeting we were told officers acted “without any guidance from us up here.” The TRUST Act has been law since 2017, and the Attorney General reissued guidance to every Illinois department in June 2025. The law is not esoteric: police may not let immigration agents use their facilities.
We are also told to gather facts first. Tough to do when the village sat on them for 15 days. Commissioners, this is not a disagreement about tone. It is a disagreement about facts.
Not every commissioner took that line. Jessica Voogd said missteps need examining. Michelle Melin-Rogovin said asking questions is not disrespect. Both raised these risks a year ago and were told the problem was isolated. Thank you, both.
So publish, by the next council meeting: the July 30 incident report, the security footage, the number of plate reads shared, and the Miller findings promised in April. If they show misconduct, file formal charges with the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners and stop paying him. Pass the ICE-free zone ordinance Betty Alzamora keeps requesting. The Attorney General enforces the TRUST Act on any resident’s complaint. We would rather you fix this yourselves.
Sukrat Baber is a Forest Park resident and an attorney. He writes here in his personal capacity.
Sources:
LPR data sharing and the Secretary of State finding: “Officials discover Forest Park license plate data shared with ICE,” Forest Park Review, Sept. 5, 2025; Illinois Secretary of State press release, Sept. 5, 2025, ilsos.gov
“Not in any trouble,” and no disclosure of volume: “After discussion, Forest Park renews police data program,” Forest Park Review, Sept. 11, 2025
Hoskins on abolishing ICE: candidate policy positions, Illinois 7th Congressional District Democratic primary, March 2026
Miller incident of April 27, and Gross’s promise to make findings public: “Forest Park police lieutenant put on administrative leave,” Forest Park Review, April 29, 2026
The 17 complaints, obtained by FOIA: “17 complaints against police Lt. Daniel Miller during tenure,” Forest Park Review, May 18, 2026
Gomez settlement, roughly $599,000 plus $100 for confidentiality: Forest Park Review, April 29, 2026, updated May 1, 2026; Riverside-Brookfield Landmark, April 29, 2026
Crisis communications firm, approved May 11: “Village hires comms strategist after police incident,” Forest Park Review, May 18, 2026
Outside investigator retained June 22: “Village approves outside agency to investigate Lt. Miller incident,” Forest Park Review, June 30, 2026
July 30 incident, and the employee claiming the car as his own: “Forest Park police help ICE agent from ‘stalking,'” Forest Park Review, Aug. 4, 2026
Aug. 10 council meeting and the training remarks: “After ICE incident, Mayor Hoskins seeks better training for Forest Park police,” Forest Park Review, Aug. 14, 2026
Hoskins confirming the Chief and Deputy Chief decided: “Forest Park police chief to retire after ICE agent allowed into offices,” NBC Chicago, Aug. 14, 2026
Gross retirement: Forest Park Review, Aug. 14 and Aug. 18, 2026
Commissioners’ Aug. 24 comments: “Commissioners voice support for police dept. amid ‘maligning’ comments,” Forest Park Review, Aug. 28, 2026
Illinois TRUST Act, 5 ILCS 805/15(h), and the June 2025 guidance: “Guidance Summary: Key Provisions of the Illinois TRUST Act,” Office of the Illinois Attorney General
Discharge authority of the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners: 65 ILCS 5/10-2.1