Alderman Ed Burke is reaching into the 19th century to promote a moratorium on deportations.

Now that the Dream Act has been killed in the U.S. Senate, Burke is calling on President Obama to use his executive power to enact it anyway.

In one of the longest reaches here at City Hall lately, Burke made this argument why it’s appropriate for the city council to make this request of the president.

“You know what, in the 1850’s, this city council passed a resolution that prohibited the enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act here in Chicago so that officials here in Chicago couldn’t cooperate with marshals that were tracking down fugitive slaves,” Burke said.

In any case, Dream Act opponents say it really amounts to amnesty.

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