In an op-ed published today, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) executive director Joshua Hoyt writes that, while the defeat of Republican and anti-immigrant activist Rosanna Pulido in yesterday's 5th Congressional District special election was "no surprise," it was encouraging to see her exposed as a "vile hater" over the course of her brief general election campaign. Hoyt goes on to write that Bob Sabonjian's unseating yesterday of Waukegan Mayor Richard Hyde (right) was "more telling of what the future of Illinois politics holds for those who seek cheap electoral advantage by targeting immigrants."

Two years ago, Hyde pushed the Waukegan city council to approve 287(g), a Department of Homeland Security program that gave Waukegan Police the authority to begin deportation proceedings for immigrants convicted of violent crimes. This practice has been long criticized by immigrant rights advocates as leading to racial profiling and police abuse. Moreover, a recent Government Accountability Office report questioned its effectiveness, finding that the government has failed to determine how many of the thousands of deportees were the kind of violent felons 287(g) was devised to root out.

More from Hoyt's analysis:

Mayor-elect Sabonjian ran a spirited multi-ethnic campaign based on inclusion. He won with 54% of the vote, walking away with a 700 vote margin of the 7,500 votes cast. Challenger Sabonjian won every single one of the nine heavily Latino precincts targeted by the anti-Hyde activists, with margins as high as 69% to 31% (precinct 395) and 57% to 39% (precinct 392), with many around 56% to 41%.

Other Illinois elected officials who have advanced anti-immigrant rhetoric or policies should take note. One such figure, GOP Rep. Mark Kirk, will catch an earful when he addresses the City Club of Chicago one week from today. ICIRR plans to protest outside the event, spotlighting the North Shore Republican's dismal record on immigrant rights is anything but "moderate."