SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Landlords in Illinois will now be prohibited from using a tenant’s immigration status to threaten eviction under a new law from state Rep. John D’Amico, D-Chicago.

“Every family deserves to feel secure in their home, but unfortunately President Trump’s xenophobic rhetoric and actions have immigrant families in our community frightened,” D’Amico said. “Thankfully, Illinois is standing up for immigrant families by protecting their right to live without the fear that they will be evicted due to their status as immigrants.”

D’Amico supported Senate Bill 1290, the Immigrant Tenant Protection Act, to restrict the ability of a landlord to threaten, punish or evict or a tenant based solely on their actual or perceived immigration status. Violations of the new law can result in a civil penalty of up to $2,000. Illinois is now the second state, after California, to enact a law protecting immigrant tenants.

“Illinois values the contributions that hardworking immigrant families make to our state,” D’Amico said. “By banning landlords from using someone’s immigration status to threaten or harass a tenant, we can help ensure that those hardworking families feel welcome in Illinois.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Families facing financial hardship will have greater access to resources that could prevent foreclosure and evictions under a bill supported by state Rep. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago, which passed the Illinois House with overwhelming bipartisan support.

“Recent studies show that 40 percent of households in the U.S. are just one missed paycheck away from poverty,” said Villa. “For many families, all it takes is a parent losing their job or a child becoming sick to put them on the brink of foreclosure or eviction.”

House Bill 3331 gives the Illinois Department of Human Services more flexibility in providing assistance to people who are at risk of becoming homeless. Under the bill, people in need would be eligible for help making rent and mortgage payments, as well as security deposits, for up to six months. The legislation contains additional provisions for case managers to help families regain stability and remain in their homes.

“Once a family becomes homeless, it is extremely difficult for them to get back on their feet again. As a school social worker, I’ve seen the awful impact this has on children who do not have a stable place to go home to at night,” said Villa. “By implementing policies that are proactive, preventing people from losing their homes in the first place, the state of Illinois will save money in the long run and by putting families on a path to stability.”