Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot are going out of their way to proclaim the state and city as welcoming to undocumented immigrants, according to an article by WTTW news. In a climate of anti-immigration, here are eleven ways Illinois welcomes immigrants to our communities.
1. In July, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced the city would give 20% more – or $250,000 – to Chicago’s Legal Protection Fund
2. In June, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a law making Illinois the first state to ban private detention centers
3. Mayor Lightfoot terminated Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) access to Chicago police databases
4. Gov. Pritzker signed the RISE Act (Public Act 101-0021) in June to help low-income undocumented students afford college by permitting Illinois public universities to award them financial aid
5. City Colleges of Chicago’s Star Scholarship is open to undocumented students
6. City Colleges offers free high school equivalency and English as a Second Language (ESL) classes
7. Immigration status is not a factor for students in elementary and high schools
8. Illinois Secretary of Human Services Grace Hou helped create Immigrant Welcoming Centers to serve as one-stop shops to help immigrants to reach the resources at the end of that maze
9. Illinois helps fund centers run by nonprofit organizations, like Family Focus Nuestra Familia in the Hermosa neighborhood
10. Illinois covers health care for all children under its All Kids program
11. Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White does not share information about a person’s legal status with ICE; Illinois residents who do not have visas can apply for a Temporary Visitors Driver’s License
Mario Godoy and the other experienced immigration attorneys at the Godoy Law Office can assess your situation and application status. With experience in many different types of immigration cases and understanding of the impact of new immigration regulations, it can be beneficial for you to contact an immigration lawyer today. Please call us at 855-554-6369.
