Prairie State Wire

Jim Dodge would like to see every branch of government pitted in the job its best outfitted for when it comes to the growing debate over “sanctuary states” and immigration policy.  

“We’d all be better off if the federal government did its job better by enforcing the law, doing it well and doing it quickly,” Dodge, who recently launched his Republican campaign for state treasurer, told Prairie State Wire. “The burden is on the federal government to get valid, enforceable federal warrants to our law enforcement agencies in a timely manner, so they can do their job in our communities.”

The recent acquittal of immigrant Jose Ines Garcia Zarate, who was in the country illegally, on murder charges in the 2015 killing of Kate Steinle in California has set reignited the immigration debate, with Illinois landing right in the middle based on Gov. Bruce Rauner recently turning Illinois into a sanctuary state with the signing of the Trust Act bill into law. 

Jim Dodge

Beyond that, the political action committee Make America Great Again is lumping Chicago with a number of other "sanctuary cities" it is pushing to have federal funding stripped from based on their refusal to work with federal immigration officials. The Justice Department had given Illinois until Dec. 8 to respond.

“Like many in Illinois, my hope is that the federal government enacts real immigration reform that protects Americans and aligns with our core values as a nation,” Dodge said. “Everything with this law has got to be done right first on a national level.”

Here in Illinois, Dodge said he looks at the way the state economy has grown stagnant and knows something has to change for the good of the state.

“People are leaving Illinois and voting with their feet,” he said. “We have to have a rational discussion where we ask ourselves what are the best ways everyone can benefit."

Currently an Orland Park Village trustee, Dodge ran for state comptroller in 2010, finishing with 19 percent of the vote in a three-way GOP primary race won by Judy Baar Topinka.