Chicago City Wire

Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) officials are leaving no mystery about where they stand on House Bill 225.

“Over the past several years, Illinois has already enacted radical immigration policies including a sanctuary law, granting driver’s licenses to illegal aliens, providing in-state tuition to illegal aliens and offering landlord-tenant protections to illegal aliens,” FAIR legislative advisor Tanner Bonovitch said on the organization's website.

Sponsored by state Sen. Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago), HB 225 also seeks to prohibit the Secretary of State (who issues driver’s licenses in Illinois) from enforcing federal immigration laws by sending the results of facial recognition to any government entity.

Having passed in the state Senate back in April, the bill now sits in the House Rules Committee. According to FAIR, Illinois is now home to roughly the sixth most illegal immigrants of any state.

Villanueva also supports SB 1986, which expands on the state’s 2017 sanctuary state law known as the “Illinois Trust Act.”

The measure limits assistance with immigration enforcement in courthouses, public schools and public colleges, hospitals, emergency or urgent care facilities, nursing and group homes, public libraries, and facilities operated by the Office of the Secretary of State.

Currently in the Senate Assignments Committee, it also “bans state and local law enforcement officers from inquiring about anyone’s citizenship or immigration status or birthplace, even if they’re detained or arrested, unless provided with a judicial warrant or other court order and prevents any law enforcement agency from entering into agreements with federal immigration authorities to enforce civil immigration law.”