SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernandez, D-Cicero, state Rep. Celina Villanueva, D-Chicago, and fellow members of the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus worked to advance a series of reforms this spring that will put in place additional state-level protections to combat Donald Trump’s bigoted agenda and ensure Illinois supports and lifts up its immigrant community.

“A college education or technical training is key to move up the socioeconomic ladder and it’s unacceptable that talented young people are being denied that opportunity because of their immigration status,” Hernandez said. “The Illinois RISE Act will ensure equity and opportunity for all of our young people.”

The following initiatives were championed by members of the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus and now await Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s consideration:

• House Bill 1637 (Villanueva) will prohibit local law enforcement from entering into agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that permit them to enforce family separation policies;
• House Bill 2691 (Hernandez) will ensure state financial aid is available to Illinois students regardless of race, immigration status or gender identity;
• Senate Bill 172 (state Rep. Aaron Ortiz, D-Chicago) will expand student body representation among the University of Illinois’ Board of Trustees by allowing undocumented students to serve as student trustees;
• Senate Bill 1166 (state Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Chicago) will allow trained individuals to obtain certain occupational or professional licensure, regardless of their immigration status; and
• Senate Bill 1290 (state Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago) will make it unlawful for landlords to evict or harass a tenant based on their immigration status.

“It is up to us at the state level to protect local families from being torn apart by the bigoted agenda of Donald Trump,” Villanueva said. “By prohibiting local police from being deputized as ICE agents, we are building trust in local law enforcement as immigrant families will feel safe to call when their safety is at risk or when they need to report a crime in their community.” 

“Immigrant families work hard every day to contribute to our society. No one deserves to be threatened or harassed because of their immigration status,” Mah said. “This legislation will protect immigrant families from unscrupulous landlords, providing them much-needed peace of mind.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernandez, D-Cicero, is fighting to expand access to higher education, working with a diverse coalition of legislators, advocates, and university officials  to ensure that state financial aid is available to all Illinois students regardless of race, immigration status or gender identity.

“In light of the exodus of talented young people leaving Illinois for other states, we must ensure that we are not only reinvesting in our colleges and universities but our young people, especially our minority youth,” Hernandez said. “This legislation is about equity for all students, ensuring that regardless of your race, immigration status or gender identity, you are valued and supported by our state.”

Hernandez’s House Bill 2691 would create the Retention of Illinois Students and Equity (RISE) Act to ensure financial aid equity for minority and marginalized young people. The legislation would expand access to state aid by increasing the credit hour limit in place that disproportionately locks out African-American and other people of color from state aid. In 2018, 1,700 students who applied for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant were denied because they had surpassed the current credit hour limit. Often times, students who come from inadequately funded schools districts have to take additional coursework to catch up to their peers, which is why they reach the credit hour threshold much quicker.  

Hernandez’s RISE Act would also allow Illinois students who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents, such as DACA recipients, to be eligible for state financial aid, as well as transgender students who do not register for required military purposes and as result are ineligible for federal aid. The measure was recently approved by the House Higher Education Committee.

“Higher education truly changes lives, positively impacts society, and enhances the rich fabric of our communities. We are committed to supporting the state legislature’s goals to enhance access, support, and opportunities for Illinois’ high school graduates to stay in the state for college,” University of Illinois System President Tim Killeen said.