Pritzker signs measure to limit how law enforcement works with ICE

[October 01, 2021]  By Andrew Hensel

(The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed Senate Bill 667, called the Way Forward Act, which restricts local law enforcement from working with ICE and closes immigrant detainment centers.

State Sen. Omar Aquino, D-Chicago, filed the measure to protect immigrants from local law enforcement.

Fred Tsao, of the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights, said that when people are afraid to talk to the police, the whole community can suffer.

"When you have individuals feeling alienated by the police, or just fearful of working with law enforcement that injures the entire community," Tsao said.

The legislation restricts ICE from working with local police departments in the state. Restrictions on participation in raids, sharing of information and the end of detainment camps will be some of the new rules for local police and immigration.

State Rep. Jeff Keicher acknowledged the problems Illinois has with its detention centers, but warned against closing them.

"I understand the issues we have with ICE and our detention centers," Keicher said. "But I implore you, do not open this gate because we will not be able to close it."
 

Keicher also said that the law could bring criminals to Illinois.

"We hamstrung our police from asking additional questions while in custody," Keicher said. "We have the distinct potential of allowing pedophiles on our streets."

State Rep. Patrick Windhorst, R-Harrisburg, also took issue with the closing of detainment centers across the state.
 

The closure of these centers, Windhorst said, could lead to job cuts and revenue losses for the counties that house them.

“These camps are in two of the poorest counties in Illinois, this will have a very detrimental impact on these counties,” Windhorst said. “They are speaking of layoffs into the eighties, there is talk that mortgages could be defaulted on, this could be very dangerous for the county.”

Pritzker signed and approved the legislation, which went into effect immediately.

Tsao said that the signing of this bill was the result of a decade of work.

"This is the culmination of 10 years of work to try and set a limit on collaboration between police departments and other local law enforcement," he said.