SPRINGFIELD – Dwight village trustees voted to annex 88 acres Monday for a federal immigrant detention center that would be managed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant Majority Leader Tony Munoz reacted to the vote with the following statement:

“The decision by the Village of Dwight is shameful as we see report after report of abuse and inhumane treatment of undocumented people in these type of detention centers. It’s wrong to support an endeavor that will stand on racism and anti-immigrant policies from the Trump administration.”

The $20 million detention center would be near Illinois 17 and Interstate 55. Village trustees approved annexing the property there with a 5-2 vote.

About 300 people attended the meeting, including a number of protesters who marched from the Amtrak station to Dwight High School where the meeting was held.

Assistant Majority Leader Tony Munoz (D-Chicago) co-sponsored a measure to protect undocumented immigrant tenants from landlord harassment that passed the Senate on Thursday.

Senate Bill 1290 creates the Immigrant Tenant Protection Act, which prohibits landlords from questioning a tenant’s immigration status as a means of harassment or to force an eviction.

“Tenants should be able to report issues to their landlord without worrying about their immigration status,” Munoz said. “This measure keeps families from being harassed or forced out of their homes.”

The proposal would allow tenants to report criminal activity or habitability issues without being targeted based on their immigration status.
Currently, the Illinois Human Rights Act does not protect individuals based on immigration status, nor does it place any limitations on when a landlord may request or share that information.

The legislation now moves to the House for consideration.

47th Annual American Legion Youth Police Camp Accepting Teen Participants

Springfield, IL – The Illinois State Police (ISP) and the American Legion announce plans for the 47th Annual American Legion Youth Police Camp (ALYPC) at Camp Lincoln, located 1301 North MacArthur Boulevard, Springfield, Illinois, from June 23-28, 2019.

Dozens of aspiring teens from across Illinois will discover career opportunities through training with police and military. The primary purpose of the ALYPC is to establish an interactive and positive relationship between Illinois teens and law enforcement officers. The week-long residency camp is structured to promote educational and learning opportunities for youth ages 15-17 in the areas of law enforcement, military, leadership, cultural diversity, personal development, social and interpersonal skills, and physical fitness.

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SPRINGFIELD – Assistant Majority Leader Tony Munoz (D-Chicago) reacted to Gov. JB Pritzker’s first Budget Address on Wednesday with the following statement:

“Our state is in a rebuilding phase, and it’s going to take investment to get some of our most vulnerable populations back on track. I agree with the governor that we need to fund education not only from K-12, but job training and child care assistance that allows parents to seek a higher education.

“We still have a lot of work ahead of us. Now is the time to look into his revenue proposals enhancements and figure out what works for our state.”