House Bill 3571 passed both Houses this past week with Senate Floor Amendment 1.
SA1 permits counties and municipalities to hire non-citizens as deputy sheriffs and police officers in the same manner as hiring U.S. citizens, as long as they are: “legally authorized under federal law to work in the United States and is authorized under federal law to obtain, carry, or purchase or otherwise possess a firearm, or who is an individual against whom immigration action has been deferred by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services under the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) process and is authorized under federal law to obtain, carry, or purchase or otherwise possess a firearm”
What this means in Illinois, is that you may soon see non-US citizens wearing police badges, with arrest powers over US citizens. Senator Rose spoke against its passage, suggesting it would violate the United States Constitution.
Senate passed the bill with SA1 on May 18, and the House concurred on May 19.
The only Senate “NO” votes were from Anderson, Bennett, Bryant, Chesney, Curran, DeWitte, Fowler, Harriss, Joyce, Lewis, McClure, Plummer, Preston, Rezin, Rose, Stoller, Syverson, Tracy, Turner S, and Wilcox.
Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie voted in favor of this bill.
The only House “NO” votes were from Davis Jed, Caulkins, Halbrook, Miller, Niemerg, Weber, and Wilhour.
House Republican Leader Tony M. McCombie voted in favor of this bill, as did Jason Bunting, John Cabello, Michael Coffey Jr., John Egofske, Amy Elik, Amy Grant, Mike Marron, and others.
This bill is currently awaiting the governor’s signature.
*Edit 6-5-2023: It is our understanding that this Bill will do nothing unless and until federal laws are changed to permit the noncitizens referenced in this bill to legally carry firearms.
Senator Chapin Rose spoke on the subject of noncitizens arresting citizens during floor debates (see attached video).
This story was originally published by Edgar County Watchdogs. Read the original HERE.
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