Illinois Joins Ranks of Sanctuary States
Legislative Update By: Shari Rendall
Governor Bruce Rauner (R-IL) signed Illinois’ sanctuary law the very last day before it would have become law without his signature. This legislation, the so-called “Trust Act,” significantly restricts immigration officials’ ability to detain and deport illegal aliens, even if convicted of a crime. (See FAIR Legislative Update, June 6, 2017)
Upon signing Illinois’ “Trust Act,” Governor Rauner said the legislation “makes clear that stopping violent crime will be law enforcement’s mission rather than working on federal prerogatives that a federal court has found illegal.” (FoxNews, Aug. 28, 2017) While not outlawing the exchange of information between local law enforcement and federal immigration officials, the new measure prohibits local law enforcement officials from inquiring about the citizenship or immigration status of any individual they encounter, which hampers their ability to cooperate in immigration enforcement matters. (S.B. 31) It also stops law enforcement from arresting, searching, or detaining any person based on their immigration status, the presence of a detainer, or an administrative warrant that may be issued by the federal government. (Id.)
The new law not only shields criminal aliens but endangers the community as a whole. In a suburb of Chicago (a sanctuary jurisdiction), Tiffany Thrasher, a 33 year-old woman, was raped and murdered this past Easter. Her alleged killer, criminal alien Bulmaro Mejia-Maya, a Mexican national, had a long history of criminal violence. (Daily Herald, April 22, 2017) In 2012, he was arrested for a felony assault with a deadly weapon but his green card was not revoked because he plead guilty to a lesser misdemeanor charge. (Id.) He also plead guilty to a misdemeanor battery and faces drug charges in a separate state. (Id.)
Prior to signing the so-called “Trust Act,” Governor Rauner said that he would meet with all Illinois citizens who had concerns. “I want to hear everybody’s point of view,” said Governor Rauner. “I work for everybody in the state of Illinois.” (See Illinois Review, Aug. 12, 2017) Governor Rauner did not meet with the victims’ families prior to signing the “Trust Act” stating, “he didn’t know anything about the families that wanted to speak with him.” (See Illinois Review, Sept. 2, 2017) However, Brain McCann, whose brother was killed by an illegal alien in Chicago, pointed out that his “cell and phone numbers were on the governor’s call list a week before the signing.” (Id.)