Jiménez Champions Measure Protecting Americans from Unjust and Abusive Practices by Federal Immigration Agents

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – With Illinoisans falling victim to violent and dehumanizing immigration enforcement tactics, state Rep. Lilian Jiménez, D-Chicago, is fighting back, supporting legislation to reign in the tactics and operations of federal agents.

“When parents are being ripped from their cars, kids zip-tied and neighbors shoved into a van headed to locations unknown because of our broken immigration process, we are not living in a free country,” Jiménez said. “Too many – undocumented and lawful U.S. citizens alike – are living in fear that they will disappear, leaving their families to fend for themselves. Not only are these enforcement actions inhumane, but they also violate the constitutional rights of Illinois citizens. It is vile and unacceptable.”

The Jiménez-backed House Bill 1312 protects Illinoisans’ constitutional rights and defends access to essential services. Principally, the legislation allows for a private right of action against agents who, in the process of conducting immigration enforcement, knowingly violates the Illinois Constitution. Potential factors in a case include: if an agent wore a mask, failed to reveal identity as an agent or used nonlethal chemical weapons.

The legislation prevents federal immigration enforcement actions at the following locations:

– Courthouses: prohibits civil immigration arrests at or near courthouses and provides civil penalties for violations and attorney fee recovery.
– Hospitals: requires hospitals to create formal policies for handling law-enforcement interactions, bars cooperation with immigration enforcement unless there is a judicial warrant and protects patient immigration-related information.
– Daycares: bars entry without a signed judicial warrant, prohibits disclosing immigration information about children or families and requires policies and training to protect children if a parent faces immigration action.

Additionally, Jiménez’s legislation protects undocumented students by barring institutions from disclosing immigration status, requires warrant and law enforcement training and ensures campuses post immigrant rights information.

“Residents should be able to go to court, take their kid to daycare and have access to the university they attend without fear they will be kidnapped off the street,” Jiménez said. “Our efforts to protect Illinoisans are far from over, and I will be there at every step of the way.”