SPRINGFIELD – Following the federal government’s rescission of a 2021 Department of Homeland Security policy memo that prohibited immigration enforcement in protected areas, State Senator Karina Villa championed a measure to secure students’ safety at school.
“I grew up in an immigrant community where I later became a school social worker for 15 years. The anxiety that I felt growing up, fearing that neighbors or even family would be taken away from us, was echoed by my students decades later,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “This bill is about keeping children safe. This bill is about keeping students in the classroom and not living with the weight of being taken away from their families.”
House Bill 3247 would prohibit schools from disclosing or threatening to disclose information about a student’s immigration status or the immigration status of a person associated with the child. The bill also requires schools to develop procedures for reviewing and authorizing requests from law enforcement agents attempting to enter a school or school facility.
Additionally, the measure would ensure that children are not denied a free public K-12 education based on their or their parents’ perceived or actual immigration status, codifying the right to free public education for immigrant children.
“As other states take steps to strip children of their education, Illinois will stand as a beacon of hope, leading the charge in protecting children’s fundamental right to learn,” said Villa. “While the federal administration strips immigration enforcement protections from places meant to provide essential services, Illinois will protect its children. Our state will continue to be the safest place to raise a family.”
House Bill 3247 passed the Senate on Saturday.
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