Recent Impact

2025 Legislative Wins — SALT melts ICE

  • Pushing back on ICE’s cruel targeting and intimidation of immigrants seeking protection and justice at county courts. HB 1312 bans civil arrests at and near courthouses, reaffirming a centuries-old legal privilege for an age of intensified civil immigration enforcement. This language is supported by over 80 legal and community organizations.
  • Curtailing the ability for ICE to weaponize health care, HB 1312 adopts protections for people accessing care in hospitals, including restrictions on sharing of patient data, requirements that hospitals implement and train their staff regarding procedures on how to handle civil immigration activity. This language was developed in partnership with the Legal Council for Health Justice.
  • Ensuring safe learning environments at public universities and community colleges. HB 1312 includes safeguards against disclosure of personal information and requirements that schools have procedures to handle immigration enforcement operations on campus and provide access to know-your-rights materials and trainings. This language was developed in partnership with the Latino Policy Forum.
  • Reassuring parents that their children will be safe at licensed day care centers. This bill includes restrictions on disclosure of immigration status information and requirements for procedures to address immigration enforcement. This language was developed in partnership with the Latino Policy Forum, StartEarly, and Illinois Action for Children.
  • Providing a clearer avenue for people to seek justice for unlawful arrests and detention, a proposal from Governor Pritzker’s office that provides an important mechanism for holding ICE and CBP accountable for their cavalier behavior.

2024 Legislative Wins

  • Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults and Seniors (HBIA/S) Funding: Secured $629 million in funding to sustain and enhance the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults and Seniors programs, ensuring continued healthcare coverage and services for immigrant community members in Illinois.
  • Child Tax Credit: Established a new state Child Tax Credit, allocating $50 million to support Illinois families by providing critical financial relief to households with children, regardless of immigration status. This credit aims to reduce child poverty and promote economic security for Illinois families.
  • Shelter and Services for Southern Border Arrivals: Allocated $182 million in funding dedicated to providing shelter, essential services, and support for newly arrived individuals and families from the southern border, ensuring they have access to critical resources upon arrival in Illinois.
  • Revenue Reform through Retailer’s Sales Tax Discount: Achieved significant revenue reform by restructuring the retailer’s sales tax discount, generating over $160 million annually in new revenue. These funds will be directed towards essential programs supporting immigrant and refugee communities across the state.
  • Victims of Trafficking, Torture, and Other Serious Crimes Program: Successfully advocated for reopening eligibility for the Victims of Trafficking, Torture, and Other Serious Crimes program to all previously eligible Illinois residents, providing vital support and protection to survivors.
  • Increased Immigrant Services Line Item: Maintained robust funding of $38 million for the Immigrant Services Line Item, continuing crucial support services including public benefits assistance, cash assistance for immigrant families, and citizenship and DACA application assistance.

2023 Legislative Wins (read more)

  • Immigrant Services Line Item: $38 million allocated for the Immigrant Services Line Item, which includes essential public benefits assistance; necessary cash assistance for immigrant families; citizenship and DACA application assistance; and ongoing case management support for Afghan, Ukrainian, and southern border arrivals.
  • Driver’s Licenses and State IDs for ALL (HB 3882): HB 3882, Driver’s Licenses and State IDs for ALL (lead sponsors: Rep. Barbara Hernandez & Sen. Ram Villivalam), will make standard driver’s licenses and state IDs available for all Illinois residents, regardless of immigration status. On June 30, 2023, Governor Prtizker signed HB 3882 into law. HB 3882 will go into effect on July 1, 2024.
  • Protect Illinoisans from Unfair Medical Debt (HB 2719): HB 2719, Protect Illinoisans from Unfair Medical Debt (lead sponsors: Rep. Dagmara Avelar & Sen. Robert Peters), will prevent medical debt by requiring that uninsured community members be screened for eligibility for healthcare programs or financial assistance. On July 28, 2023, Governor Pritzker signed HB 2719 into law. HB 2719 will go into effect on January 1, 2024.

2022 Legislative Wins

  • Earned income tax credit expansion: Over one million Illinois residents became eligible for the credit, including those who file taxes with an ITIN  and workers aged 18-24 and 65+
  • Immigration legal assistance task force: The General Assembly passed the Right to Counsel in Immigrant Proceedings Act, creating a task force to provide recommendations for how the state can move toward providing legal representation for all Illinoisans facing deportation.
  • Medicaid coverage expansion to noncitizens aged 42 and up, regardless of immigration status.

2021 Legislative Wins

  • Illinois Way Forward (SB 667): Huge win! 
    • Banned cooperation between law enforcement and ICE
    • Ended public and private immigration detention in Illinois
  • Hospital Accountability (SB 1840): increased healthcare equity through lowered costs for low-income and uninsured individuals
  • Medicaid expansion: Extended medical coverage for noncitizens age 55 to 64, regardless of immigration status
  • Immigrant Services Line Item funding increase: 
    • New Americans Initiative – $8 million  ($3 million increase)
    • Immigrant Family Resource Program – $6 million  ($1 million increase)
    • Immigrant Family Support Project – $30 million  ($10 million increase)

Other past campaigns include

  • Campaign for a Welcoming IL: ICIRR convened a coalition of over 85 organizations for a multi-year campaign to pass proactive legislation
  • Amendments to the Welcoming City Ordinance
  • Keep Illinois Families Together Act
  • VOICES Act: Streamlined the U visa and T visa process.
  • Safe Zones Act: Protected against ICE arrests at courthouses, schools, hospitals and other sensitive locations.