HJ0118 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0118 LRB101 20933 LAW 70998 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, As part of a recent policy trend, certain cities and states within the United States enacted procedures designed to limit cooperation with or involvement in federal immigration enforcement actions; and

WHEREAS, In January of 2020, the Illinois Department of Corrections (DOC) changed its policy and stopped notifying U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of the release of individuals from the DOC who had valid detainer warrants; and

WHEREAS, Prior to this policy change, ICE worked with the IDOC and local law enforcement agencies to prevent those convicted felons who migrated into the State illegally after being released into the community upon completion of their sentence; and

WHEREAS, Those individuals, convicted of felony crimes and who are in the country illegally, are being released directly into the community with no notification to federal authorities or local law enforcement; such actions jeopardize the general public safety within specific Illinois communities; and

WHEREAS, Such individuals have been convicted of felony offenses, including murder, rape, sex offenses, child pornography, and weapons offenses; and

WHEREAS, The policy was changed by the Illinois Department of Corrections without adequate notice and without sufficient explanation to the immigration authorities and local law enforcement agencies, which had previously worked valiantly with the immigration authorities to keep our communities safe; and

WHEREAS, Continued reduction of such regulations may yield to further desecration of public safety within the State of Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge Governor JB Pritzker to instruct the Illinois Department of Corrections to comply with federal law and allow the DOC to continue to work with ICE and local law enforcement agencies; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the Governor, the Speaker of the Illinois House, the President of the Illinois Senate, the Illinois Senate Minority Leader, and the Illinois House Minority Leader.