Illinois Law Will Stop Landlords from Discriminating Tenants for Immigration Status

Illinois is putting more protections on immigrants as a new law will ban landlords from discriminating against potential tenants based on their immigration status.

Last month, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, signed SB 1817 into law. This new Illinois law adds "protections in the Illinois Human Rights Act for housing regarding immigration status protection and discriminatory advertising." It is part of a series of laws that the governor signed over the last month that expends protections for immigrants.

According to Fox News, he also signed a law that gives undocumented immigrants access to state driver's licenses. It will replace the Temporary Visitor Driver's License currently being used by non-residents with a 4-year standard driver's license. That law is seen to impact over 300,000 people who currently hold temporary licenses.

"This legislation is a significant step in eliminating the barriers to opportunity that many undocumented immigrants face," said the governor. "We're ensuring every eligible individual can obtain a driver's license, making our roads safer, decreasing stigma, and creating more equitable systems for all."

The law also comes as immigrants exit Florida which has imposed the strictest immigration laws in the country. Immigrants, who cannot have access to healthcare in Florida unless they are asked about their immigration status, are leaving the state and causing a labor crisis in the state as farms and construction sites go empty without the cheap immigrant labor.

How Undocumented Immigrants Can Get Driver's Licenses in Illinois

With the new Illinois law, it is now easier for undocumented immigrants to get a driver's license in the state, according to WQAD8.

The Illinois Secretary of State's Office stated that the process for undocumented immigrants to get a driver's license in the state will be simple. The office stated, "Undocumented immigrants must pass a driving test and prove they have auto insurance before they can get a TVDL." They must also "provide a passport or consular card to prove their name and date of birth, and documents proving they've lived in Illinois for at least a year."

The new law changes that and vows to make it easier for immigrants to get a state driver's license instead of the TVDL, which cannot count as ID and is often used by law enforcement to identify illegal immigrants.

Is Illinois the Most Welcoming State to Immigrants?

Illinois House Speaker Emanuel 'Chris' Welch recently sat down with local news station WTTW and talked about immigration and the state's recent stances regarding it. He said that it will be up to Governor Pritzker to slice in half spending on health care for undocumented immigrants but admitted he is confident that this will happen.

The governor has estimated that the state's Medicaid-style program currently provides health coverage to eligible undocumented residents. The estimated cost for this is around $1.1 billion, which many in the opposition are not happy about.

However, Welch and his fellow Democrats in the General Assembly added provisions that allowed Pritzker to make changes to the program to cut down costs.

The Democratic House Speaker also touted the state as "the most welcoming state in the country," adding that he co-sponsored the Trust Act which limits Illinois law enforcement agencies from cooperating with federal immigration agents if they do not have a warrant. This is intended to make undocumented immigrants "feel comfortable cooperating with police without fear of deportation."

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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