Steve Balich Editors Note: Democrat control of Illinois brings socialism. Government making it illegal to report illegals renting is shows how far Illinois has gone against the rule of law, and how the State now is putting it’s paw into the rights of ownership. At what point does Illinois declare building owners should not charge rent to illegals. At what point does Illinois tell people that own a 4 bedroom home in a suburb to give 3 rooms to 3 Illegal Alien families and to make the rest of the home common area.
Again I ask who decides what laws can be disobeyed and which parts of others must be followed? Who now decides what laws are enforced? Does Federal Law over power State Law? Does County Law over power State and or Federal Law? I this a time in our Country when the only law is that which the local Sheriff decides to enforce?
Illinois bans landlords from reporting tenants to immigration officials
Illinois became the second state in America on Wednesday to ban landlords from reporting tenants to immigration officials.
The bill Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law Wednesday would allow a tenant to sue a landlord if the property owner told anyone, including law enforcement, about a tenant’s immigration status. Landlords could also be sued and pay a $2,000 fine to the tenant for an eviction based on a tenant’s immigration status.
Pritzker said the relationship between a tenant and landlord shouldn’t have anything to do with where the tenant was born.
“I’m proud that in signing this bill we’re making Illinois the first state in the Midwest to protect our immigrant tenants and give them a little more relief in these tumultuous times,” he said. “Here in Illinois, we are, and always will be, a welcoming state.”
California has a similar law.
State Sen. Christina Castro, D-Elgin, said her legislation would protect vulnerable Illinois residents from retaliation when they seek better housing conditions.
“Tenants should feel free to come forward and report these important habitability issues no matter their status,” she said.
Advocates praised the measure.
“This bill provides important protections for renters. One’s immigration status should not be used as a weapon by a landlord,” said Lawrence Benito, CEO and executive director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.
Former Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed the same bill. He said it would violate U.S. laws about blocking federal agencies.
“Federal law (8 U.S. Code § 1373) prohibits any person or government entity from restricting in any way any government entity or official from sending to the Immigration and Naturalization Service information regarding the citizenship or immigration status of any individual, requesting or receiving such information, or exchanging such information with any other government entity,” Rauner said. “Illinois continues to be a welcoming state for all and continuously strives to protect the rights of all residents. However, we must comply [with] federal law.”
During a debate about the new law in May, Senate Republicans questioned if the state could lawfully silence any American citizen without running afoul of the First Amendment.
“You are telling your landlords ‘no, you can’t say a word to anyone in law enforcement about that individual,’ ” Mattoon Republican Dale Righter said. “Is there any other area that you can think of in state policy where you would so tie a landlord’s hands?”
