The Illinois General Assembly passed the Illinois Way Forward Act, a bill that will close all ICE detention centers in the state and severely restrict how local law enforcement can work with federal immigration agents. Cities and counties will be prohibited from entering into contracts with ICE to detain immigrants in local jails. The bill will require the existing three agreements between local jails in McHenry, Pulaski and Kankakee counties and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) to end by January 1, 2022. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Lisa Hernandez, D-Cicero.
“Immigrant communities continue to fear interaction with police due to ongoing police cooperation with immigration enforcement.”
– Rep. Lisa Hernandez
Local police can continue to participate in and cooperate with ICE when the case involves a criminal offense.
The bill has advanced to Governor J.B. Pritzker’s desk for his signature.
The Illinois Forward Act strengthens the Illinois TRUST Act, which restricts local law enforcement from transferring undocumented immigrants over to federal agencies without a judicial warrant.
Welcoming Illinois is a system of protections and advocacy groups that protect the rights of Illinois’s half-million undocumented residents.
• In October, Illinois announced $30 million in state funding for Immigrant Welcoming Centers (IWC) across Illinois.
• In 2019, Chicago was named the most immigrant-friendly city in the United States.
Contact Godoy Law Office’s skilled immigration lawyers in Chicago, Lombard and Oak Brook. We can answer any questions about immigration and guide you through every step of the process. Call today at 630-912-0322.
Godoy Law Office serves the entire Chicago, Illinois area including DuPage, Cook, Kane, Will, and Lake Counties.
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