Andrade Enacts New Protections to Protect Due Process Rights from Trump Raids

CHICAGO, Ill. – Locations where everyone should feel safe will be better protected from warrantless immigration raids under a new law backed by state Rep. Jaime Andrade, D-Chicago, expanding due process protections for all people at hospitals, daycares, courthouses and college campuses.

“Last month, daycare worker Diana Santillana Galeano was dragged from her workplace because of suspicions of her immigration status, traumatizing the staff and families who witnessed the illegal detainment,” said Andrade. “No one should be
kidnapped from their job or their school because of the color of their skin or the language they speak, and this legislation will put in safeguards to prevent that from happening again.”

The Andrade-backed House Bill 1312 allows for a private right of action against agents who, in the process of conducting immigration enforcement, knowingly violate a person’s rights.

Andrade’s legislation also establishes protections for those without citizenship who are at or near hospitals, courthouses and daycares. The legislation prevents certain 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: prohibits disclosing immigration information about children or families and requires policies and training to protect children if a parent faces immigration action.

Additionally, the legislation establishes protections for Illinois college students in the midst of growing immigration raids in the state. It specifically bars higher education institutions from disclosing citizenship information, requires staff to be trained on verifying immigration warrants and helps students access immigrant rights resources.

“With the increase of immigration enforcement over the last few months, we’ve also seen a huge increase in community building and support,” said Andrade. “While this legislation will establish safe, protected spaces, I hope we will all continue to support
each other by advocating for our neighbors, whether recording suspicious activity or blowing whistles to warn of masked or unmarked immigration officials.”

House Bill 1312 was signed into law by the governor earlier today.