Hernandez Working to Keep Immigrant Families Together

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Committed to enacting state-level protections to push back against the bigotry of Donald Trump, state Rep. Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernandez, D-Cicero, is sponsoring legislation that would ensure the safety and accessibility of public facilities like schools and hospitals by limiting  assistance with Trump’s deportation officers.

“We’ve made a lot of progress in Illinois to protect and support our immigrant community,” Hernandez said. “This is a necessary piece of legislation that will build on our progress by making sure that people are able to go to a doctor or drop their kids off at school without the fear of being torn away from their loved ones.”

Hernandez is supporting House Bill 1657, which would build on the progress of the Illinois Trust Act by ensuring the attorney general is able to establish state limitations on assisting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at public facilities where everyone should feel safe. Hernandez’s bill would prevent immigrant families from fearing harassment at public schools and libraries, courthouses, state-funded medical treatment and health care facilities and offices operated by the secretary of state, such as driver’s service facilities. The legislation would also protect the privacy of Illinois residents by limiting the kind of information the state can inquire about, such as the citizenship or immigration status or place of birth of an individual.

“There is a lot of work to be done given the former governor’s failure to stand up to Donald Trump,” Hernandez said. “I welcome the steps Governor Pritzker has taken to support our state’s immigrant community and I look forward to working with him to keep families together.”