SPRINGFIELD, Ill.- State Rep. Eva Dina Delgado, D-Chicago, issues the following statement regarding the Governor J.B. Pritzker’s budget address and focuses on child care and housing affordability for Illinoisans:

“Budgets are moral documents and reflect our values. That’s why I’m focused on putting state dollars to work funding the things that matter most: supporting health and child care services, lowering the costs of groceries and bills and ensuring that everyday necessities are affordable and accessible.

“Young families depend on affordable, quality childcare to keep their toddlers on track and to make ends meet, and they shouldn’t have to sacrifice paying rent or buying groceries for the week to pay for the federal government’s reckless and dangerous budget cuts. The Trump administration has attempted to freeze critical child care services and it is having real consequences on families and their futures.

“Hardworking families also deserve to have housing that is accessible and affordable in quiet residential areas. Rethinking our zoning framework to help balance the cost of living, density and small business growth must be a priority. Working families should be able to afford to own a home.

“We can’t control what the federal government chooses to take a wrecking ball to next, but we can still find new ways to protect vital programs from federal chaos and invest in our priorities. That’s going to be my focus in the upcoming months. I will be going through the budget line-by-line to ensure it is fiscally responsible and keeps our state moving forward.”

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CHICAGO – A major transit reform package backed by state Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, D-Chicago, a top negotiator for the House Public Transit Working Group, will make buses and trains in Northeast Illinois safer, more reliable and more efficiently managed.

“Transit has always been about more than fare cards, tracks and timetables; transit is about people and getting them where they need to go safely, reliably and efficiently,” Delgado said. “The reforms package signed into law earlier today meets the moment and lays the foundation for a system that better serves the hundreds of thousands of trips performed daily across multiple counties, transit agencies and communities. I am honored to have partnered with the House Public Transit Working Group to deliver a transformative package of reforms that not only rescues regional public transit, but allows us to do more than patch a broken system – create a better one.”

Across our state, public transit takes people to work, takes people home, and connects people, businesses, and communities more than 400 million times every year. But that system has faced major challenges; fragmented governance, uneven investment, and post-COVID ridership losses have left transit struggling with unreliable service, delayed trains, canceled routes and a looming fiscal cliff that’s threatening to derail it all.

Delgado worked to save and improve transit by passing Senate Bill 2111, a transformational package of reforms that brings Pace, CTA, and Metra together into one modern, efficient system. The new Northern Illinois Transit Agency (NITA) is a major step toward a transit system that gets people where they need to go affordably, protects taxpayers, and offers a better experience for riders and workers.

Delgado’s reforms mean:

• More efficient administration: NITA will operate with new internal and independent auditors to crack down on waste, fraud and abuse in transit. It will be required to maintain a reserve fund to prevent future bailouts.
• Reliable, modern service: NITA will bring uniformity to fares and schedules to better meet the needs of riders—whether on buses or trains, whether in the city or the suburbs.
• A safer experience for riders and workers: A multijurisdictional law enforcement team will step up enforcement right away. NITA will deploy ambassadors across the system to assist people experiencing mental health crises, and a permanent office of safety will lead long-term planning to keep riders and workers safe.

Senate Bill 2111 was signed into law Tuesday.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, D-Chicago, is pushing back on the inhumane “Operation Midway Blitz” by backing legislation to prevent certain civil immigration operations in designated areas including hospitals, daycares, courthouses and college campuses.

“Across our district, families are living under constant stress and fear directly caused by the Trump Administration’s ‘Midway Blitz,’” Delgado said. “We’ve had to face a gassing near a school, children being separated from their parents and people being taken without due process. All of this is inexcusable, and people, no matter their immigration status, deserve to live without fear.”

Delgado supported House Bill 1312 which allows for a private right of action against agents who, in the process of conducting immigration enforcement, knowingly violate the Illinois Constitution. Potential factors in a case include: if an agent wore a mask, failed to reveal their identity as an agent or used nonlethal chemical weapons.

The Delgado-backed legislation also establishes protections for those without citizenship who are at or near hospitals, courthouses and daycares. 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 civil immigration 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 universities from disclosing citizenship information, requires staff to be trained on verifying immigration warrants and helps students access immigrant rights resources.

“No matter where a person comes from, they deserve to feel safe and respected here in Illinois,” Delgado said. “This legislation, and the steps we’ll take moving forward, prove that Illinois is for everyone, not just the people that the Trump Administration wants here.”

For more information, please contact evadina@staterepdelgado.com.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — State Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, D-Chicago, backed a resolution Wednesday condemning the Trump Administration’s funding freeze of the Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) planned Red Line Extension, a critical South Side project that would create jobs, support riders and encourage economic growth.

“Freezing critical funding to the CTA is just the latest example of Donald Trump ignoring the Constitution to attack Chicago and hurt our people,” Delgado said. “Public transit is essential and Donald Trump is undermining our communities and our economy by playing politics with this project.”

Delgado supported House Resolution 506, which calls on President Trump to unfreeze $2.1 billion in funding to support construction of the Red Line Extension, a 5.5 mile ‘L’ expansion from the existing 95th/Dan Ryan terminus to 130th St. This funding was explicitly approved by the Biden Administration, and the CTA later secured a legal obligation from the federal government ensuring that the money would be released.

In addition to pausing support for the Red Line Extension, the Trump Administration has halted $28 billion in similar projects in Democratic-controlled cities and states across the country.

This loss of funding would end opportunities for affordable public transit for roughly 175,000 new daily riders in Chicago, many of whom are from underserved communities with limited transportation options. In addition to increased ridership, the Red Line Extension would generate substantial statewide economic benefits resulting from new good-paying jobs, increased consumer mobility and support for local businesses. Cutting this funding would deprive Illinoisans of those benefits while simultaneously fostering long-term investor uncertainty for federally-funded projects in Illinois and across the country.

CHICAGO, Ill. – As students and recent graduates continue to face rising costs, a measure to lower student loan interest rates sponsored by state Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, D-Chicago, was signed into law last Friday. The bill combines student loan interests into a lower, fixed rate by empowering the State Treasurer to refinance student loans.

“As the federal government makes it harder than ever for college students to become debt free, here in Illinois we are making every effort possible to lower student loan debt and set college graduates on a path to a freer financial future, Delgado said. “My measure to consolidate student loans of varying interest rates and levels into a fixed, lower rate will not only make it easier for our students to track how many loans they have, but also will lower their overall financial burden considerably. Today’s signing is just another step in our continued push to make Illinois a better place to go to college, start your career and create a better future for you and your family.”

Delgado passed House Bill 1430 which authorizes the State Treasurer to use the Student Investment Account to refinance student loans. When refinancing an individuals’ multiple student loans, an individual can consolidate their multiple loans into one loan with one lower interest rate, empowering borrowers to lower their debt and achieve financial independence quicker.

For more information on Delgado's legislative achievements, visit ILGA.gov.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, D-Chicago, backed the latest state budget plan, focusing on increasing government efficiency and ensuring adequate resources for critical state services.

“When Washington is embroiled in chaos at every turn, with the livelihoods of our community on the line, Springfield needs to step in and make sure we make smart, compassionate and strategic decisions about the future of our state. Tasked with drafting this year’s budget, I made sure to keep our state on track and fight for the issues facing working families. Our latest fiscally responsible state budget reflects our priorities in Springfield and addresses many of the challenges Illinoisans have to overcome.”

“Reaffirming our support for the services working families and our most vulnerable depend on, this budget makes over $190 million in cuts to unnecessary operational and administrative costs in government agencies. These cuts eliminate wasteful spending and redirect funding to essential projects, such as ensuring that all Illinoisans have access to hospitals and a high-quality education system.”

Delgado also sponsored critical legislation to reform Illinois’ public transit and unify the CTA, Metra and Pace into one transit authority: the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (Senate Bill 2111). To address the growing student debt crisis, Delgado championed a bill that empowers borrowers to refinance their loans into one loan with one low interest rate (House Bill 1430).

“This year’s budget discussion touched on many issues within the state with an emphasis on how we can make the government more transparent with the people it serves. These discussions also focused on how we can reduce wasteful spending and unnecessary bureaucracy to create a better future for all Illinoisans.”

CHICAGO, Ill. – For too long, our region’s transit system has been governed by outdated structures that don’t reflect how people live, work, and travel today. Transit should be seamless, safe, and worthy of our world-class city and region. That’s why, after years of leading efforts for a better way forward—and more than a year of working with colleagues, advocates, and communities—I proudly supported the creation of the Northern Illinois Transit Authority.

This reform bill is about transforming the rider experience and strengthening accountability to the public. With a unified agency comes one goal: delivering high-quality, reliable transit to everyone—whether you ride the bus in Woodstock, the train in Aurora, or the L across Chicago.

We’ve also heard the public loud and clear: any funding solution must come with real benefits. I will continue to focus on getting the investments we need in transit to protect service for all riders, including those who depend on paratransit. The crisis we face is serious and we need serious solutions.

There is still work ahead. But we now have the blueprint to build the 21st-century transit system our region needs—one that meets today’s demands and tomorrow’s challenges.

Together, we can create a connected, safe, and sustainable future for public transit in Illinois. And I remain committed to making that future a reality. I would like to highlight and thank Representatives Buckner, Evans and Moylan as well as Senator Villivalam for all their work and look forward to our continued joint efforts.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, D-Chicago, is promoting gender equality in professional sports by passing a bill that levels the playing field by ensuring that women’s
professional teams have the opportunity to access public infrastructure funds.

“In recent years, we have seen an increase in the number of women’s professional teams across many different sports, and it's time they are given the opportunity to receive the public
infrastructure that has long been afforded to men’s teams,” said Delgado. “Equitably funding women’s professional sports facilities would help remedy a lack of support for funding women’s
professional sports in our state.”

Delgado’s House Bill 2772 would prohibit gender-based disparities in sports facilities that fall under the Illinois Sports Authority Act or that are supported by bonds from the state. Under this bill, professional women’s sports teams would be eligible to be considered for public infrastructure funding– an opportunity that has traditionally been reserved for men’s professional teams. Any future funding of men’s and women’s professional sports facilities by the state must be granted in an equitable way.

“Women’s professional sports teams have often been overlooked and underfunded when compared to men’s professional sports teams, even though we've won just as many titles and championships,” said Delgado. “I am proud to spearhead this measure that elevates women’s professional sports investment to the same level as men’s professional sports teams.” Delgado’s bill has passed in the House and moves to the Senate for consideration.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, D-Chicago, is empowering student loan borrowers to reduce interest payments by consolidating loans. Delgado's legislation passed out of House committees last week, heading to the House Floor for debate. 

“Student loan borrowers are faced with the challenge of not only paying off their loans, but also contending with multiple interest rates, putting those with several existing loans at a repayment
disadvantage,” said Delgado. “By empowering students to consolidate their loans at a lower interest-rate, students will be able to pay off their loans quicker and allow them to invest their
money into local communities.”

Delgado’s House Bill 1430 authorizes the State Treasurer to work with financial institutions to expand loan options and lower interest rates for student loan borrowers. Student loan borrowers who consolidate their loans will pay a single interest rate, rather than multiple varying interest rates, that does not exceed 7%. By consolidating multiple loans into one with one lower interest rate, students will have an easier time paying off their student debt. 

“Student loan debt has been a growing problem for students who choose to pursue higher education, not just in Illinois but across the country,” said Delgado. “That’s why I will continue to work on breaking down the barriers of student loan repayment, better equipping Illinoisans and our state with a brighter and more prosperous future.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, D-Chicago, is empowering student loan borrowers to reduce interest payments by consolidating loans. Delgado's legislation passed out of House committees last week, heading to the House Floor for debate.

“Student loan borrowers are faced with the challenge of not only paying off their loans, but also contending with multiple interest rates, putting those with several existing loans at a repayment
disadvantage,” said Delgado. “By empowering students to consolidate their loans at a lower interest-rate, students will be able to pay off their loans quicker and allow them to invest their
money into local communities.”

Delgado’s House Bill 1430 authorizes the State Treasurer to work with financial institutions to expand loan options and lower interest rates for student loan borrowers. Student loan borrowers who consolidate their loans will pay a single interest rate, rather than multiple varying interest rates, that does not exceed 7%. By consolidating multiple loans into one with one lower interest rate, students will have an easier time paying off their student debt.

“Student loan debt has been a growing problem for students who choose to pursue higher education, not just in Illinois but across the country,” said Delgado. “That’s why I will continue to work on breaking down the barriers of student loan repayment, better equipping Illinoisans and our state with a brighter and more prosperous future.”