Rockford Sun

A group of Republican legislators in Illinois are taking action to address the migrant crisis that is overwhelming state and community resources. State Senators Andrew Chesney and Dave Syverson, along with Assistant House Republican Leader John M. Cabello and State Representative Joe Sosnowski, held a press conference at the Capitol to discuss the crisis and propose legislative solutions.

The lawmakers attribute the surge in migrants to the weak border policies of the Biden Administration and Illinois laws that act as incentives for undocumented individuals to come to the state. Senator Chesney criticized the governor and Chicago mayor for their welcoming stance towards immigrants, stating, "They rolled out the welcome mat for illegal immigrants and asylum seekers, and are now pointing fingers everywhere but at themselves."

Senator Chesney also highlighted the chaos that ensued when a plane filled with over 350 migrants arrived at the Rockford airport with little notice. He expressed concern about the possibility of more planes landing in the future, saying, "No one knows if this was a one-time event or if more planes carrying migrants will be landing in Rockford."

One of the proposed legislative solutions is the repeal of portions of the Trust Act that prohibit collaboration between local law enforcement and federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials. Leader Cabello emphasized the importance of repealing the Trust Act, stating, "Repealing the TRUST Act is absolutely required to solve the Illinois illegal immigration crisis and it's the right thing to do for the citizens of this state."

Another proposal seeks to roll back laws that provide free healthcare for migrants and illegal immigrants in Illinois. Senator Syverson criticized the program, which exceeded its yearly appropriation in just one month, saying, "We currently have Illinois veterans who struggle to find adequate services, and we have citizens living with disabilities that struggle to find services. But migrants and illegal immigrants pay nothing for high quality healthcare."

The legislators also proposed a bill that would provide a framework for migrants and illegal immigrants to travel back to their home country or to another sanctuary city or state. Representative Sosnowski emphasized the need for accountability and solutions, stating, "Illinois taxpayers deserve accountability and solutions; and right now both those are lacking in the Administration's response to the migrant crisis."

The legislative package is currently being finalized and will be filed before the February 9 deadline for the introduction of bills. The Republican legislators are hopeful that their proposals will lead to meaningful solutions if Democrats are willing to work with them.