SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — More than 100 community leaders rallied at the State Capitol on Tuesday, demanding protections from federal agents.

Lawmakers have returned to Springfield for their veto session, and immigration policies are rapidly becoming a focal point during the legislature’s October session.

“The federal government has made it abundantly clear that they are here too, looking to push for the boundaries of these unlawful operations but terrorize our communities,” one advocate stated during Tuesday’s press conference.

The advocates, community leaders, and lawmakers who gathered in the rotunda on Tuesday afternoon were backing various bills, but they shared a common objective: to restrict federal immigration enforcement, which they argue infringes on the constitutional rights of Illinoisans. They aim to achieve this by limiting where those agents can operate.

A new package of bills is looking to keep ICE agents out of healthcare and early learning facilities as well as courthouses.

Rep. Norma Hernandez said if agents are around, people won’t access critical services.

“We’ve witnessed people being detained while following the correct procedures, executed violently, and torn from their families. This poses a safety concern because individuals need to attend court for numerous reasons,” said Hernandez.

However, limitations are not confined to locations alone. The final bill in the package, HB 2706, proposes revisions to the Illinois TRUST Act. This law currently prohibits local and state police from conducting immigration enforcement. Yet, advocates argue that new strategies employed by federal agents necessitate a re-evaluation of the law.

They want to make sure that local police have no part, even as support, during immigration operations. 

Representative Hernandez acknowledged that securing the 71 votes required to pass any part of this package will be challenging. Yet, with this being their last chance to pass legislation before January, she emphasized that lawmakers must act immediately to safeguard Illinois communities.