Latest news with #Democrat-led
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Illinois Senate to consider bill prohibiting public schools from denying access based on immigration status
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — In the final days of the spring legislative session, Illinois lawmakers this week advanced a bill to the Senate that would prohibit public schools from denying a student access to free education based on that child's immigration status or that of the child's parents — a move aimed at reinforcing long-standing constitutional federal protections amid renewed scrutiny of immigrant rights at the state level. The bill, sponsored in the House by Chicago Democratic Rep. Lilian Jiménez, would prohibit a child within Illinois from being deprived of free public education through high school 'based on the child's perceived or actual immigration status or the child's parent's or guardian's perceived or actual citizenship or immigration status.' The legislation also says a school must not exclude a child 'from participation in or deny a child the benefits of any program or activity' for those same reasons. The proposal comes as the Tennessee state Senate earlier this year passed a bill requiring citizenship or immigration documentation for schoolchildren in the state. Though that legislation has since fizzled for now because of pushback from opponents, including immigration rights advocates, according to news reports, it has highlighted a broader national tension. The Illinois measure, which seeks to create clear statutory language protecting immigrant school-age children or children of undocumented immigrants, passed Wednesday night by a 70-40 vote through the Democrat-led House. Two Democrats sided with Republicans in voting against it: Diane Blair-Sherlock of Villa Park and Michael Kelly of Chicago. The bill is now in the Senate for its consideration. In a brief interview Thursday morning, state Rep. John Cabello, a Republican from Machesney Park, said he voted against the bill because he believes free education should be reserved for citizens. 'I'm Mexican, but I still believe that you should be a tax-paying citizen to receive anything free from the government,' he said. 'Why would we give people that are not from our country free schooling?' Jiménez said she grew up with a parent who was undocumented, and after Donald Trump's second presidential victory, she feared for the future of families like hers. During the House floor debate, Jiménez noted that federal law prohibits denying or eliminating access to public education based on immigration status but said that the right to public education 'is eroded whenever people are afraid to exercise it.' 'In our state, there are parents who are afraid to send their children to school and children afraid to be at school. This is not conducive to learning,' said Jiménez. 'It impacts all of our schools, families and communities. This bill is an opportunity to reassure families and students that their schools are safe as can be and to restore a proper learning environment.' State Rep. Dagmara Avelar, a Democrat from Bolingbrook, recalled growing up as an undocumented student. She said not a day went by without her fearing immigration authorities would go after her parents at work. 'This was something that I was thinking about when I was a young person,' she said in support of the bill. 'Yet, decades later, it seems that we're seeing the same struggle and the same trauma with children happening right now.' The bill would require a school to develop procedures for reviewing and authorizing requests from law enforcement agents trying to enter a school by July 1, 2026. It would also allow anyone aggrieved by a violation of the measure to file a civil lawsuit up to two years after the alleged infraction occurred. Chicago Public Schools has maintained a firm, clear policy to not allow U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to access school facilities unless they present a criminal judicial warrant signed by a federal judge. The district will also not share student information with ICE without a court order or parental consent. In a statement, a CPS spokesperson said that 'in alignment with state and federal law, CPS strictly prohibits any form of discrimination or harassment and ensures that no student is denied access to educational services based on their immigration status. 'CPS policies firmly uphold that every child residing in Chicago — regardless of background — is entitled to a high-quality education in a safe and supportive environment,' the statement said. For the Illinois legislation, Jiménez is among 30 House Democratic sponsors of her bill, a group that includes House Speaker Emanuel 'Chris' Welch. There are also 12 Democratic Senate sponsors of the measure so far. In an interview this week, Jiménez said her legislation is especially important in light of the Trump administration's decision to rescind a Biden-era policy to protect certain areas like churches and schools from immigration enforcement. She also noted how last month, agents from ICE tried to enter one or two schools in Los Angeles but were not let in. Jiménez also noted there were double-digit percentage drops in attendance in certain schools in January in her district, which includes schools with large Latino populations in Chicago's Humboldt Park, Belmont Cragin and Hermosa areas. Her district includes undocumented and 'mixed-status' families, she said. Data obtained by the Tribune through a Freedom of Information Act request shows that attendance rates fell at all schools across CPS the week of Jan. 20, when the 47th president was sworn in. Over 50% of students attending the 10 schools that experienced the biggest attendance drops are Latino, according to enrollment data on the district's website. The names of the schools are being withheld at the request by CPS out of concern for potential retaliation from the federal government. Erika Méndez, director of pre-K-12 policy at the Latino Policy Forum, cheered the legislation's advancement. 'Right now, in our communities, immigrant parents and their children are under incredible stress and anguish when considering whether it is safe to go to school. Schools should be safe and nurturing environments where all students, regardless of their immigration status, can thrive, and where parents can trust that they will see their children at the end of the school day,' Mendez said. 'The Safe Schools for All Act would help give parents and children that peace of mind.' The bill, Jiménez said, remains a priority for the legislative Latino Caucus. She added that she has been working with the Illinois attorney general's office to make the bill more resistant to any federal action. For her, it is personal. Her mother was undocumented for the majority of her life 'because of the difficulties with the immigration system,' Jiménez said. Though her mother never had a criminal record and was an 'exemplary' volunteer in her community, Jiménez said someone else in the same situation as her mother 'is being targeted right now.' She wants to ensure that families in that same situation have peace of mind amid so much uncertainty. 'They're knocking on people's doors. They're going to schools,' Jiménez said of the Trump administration. 'Also, the fact that they're throwing due process out the window … Everything they're doing in the courts is completely unprecedented.' _______ (Laura Rodriguez Presa reported from Chicago.) _______
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Illinois Senate to weigh measure prohibiting public schools from denying students based on immigration status
In the final days of the spring legislative session, Illinois lawmakers this week advanced a bill to the Senate that would prohibit public schools from denying a student's access to free education based on that child's immigration status or that of their parents — a move aimed at reinforcing long standing constitutional federal protections amid renewed scrutiny of immigrant rights at the state level. The bill, sponsored by Chicago Democratic Rep. Lilian Jiménez, would prohibit a child within Illinois from being deprived of free public education through high school 'based on the child's perceived or actual immigration status or the child's parent's or guardian's perceived or actual citizenship or immigration status.' The legislation also says a school must not exclude a child 'from participation in or deny a child the benefits of any program or activity' for those same reasons. The proposal comes as the Tennessee state Senate earlier this year passed a bill requiring citizenship or immigration documentation for schoolchildren in the state. Though that legislation has since fizzled for now because of pushback by its opponents, which include immigration rights advocates, according to news reports, it highlighted a broader national tension. The Illinois measure, which seeks to create clear statutory language protecting immigrant school-age children or children of undocumented immigrants, passed Wednesday night by a 70-40 vote through the Democrat-led House. Two Democrats sided with Republicans in voting against it: Diane Blair-Sherlock of Villa Park and Michael Kelly of Chicago. The bill is now in the Senate for its consideration. In a brief interview Thursday morning, state Rep. John Cabello, a Republican from Machesney Park, said he voted against the bill because he believes free education should be reserved for citizens. 'I'm Mexican, but I still believe that you should be a tax paying citizen to receive anything free from the government,' he said. 'Why would we give people that are not from our country free schooling?' Jiménez said she grew up with a parent who was undocumented, and, after Donald Trump's second presidential victory, she feared for the future of families like hers. During the House floor debate, Jiménez noted that federal law prohibits denying or eliminating access to public education based on immigration status but said that the right to public education 'is eroded whenever people are afraid to exercise it.' 'In our state, there are parents who are afraid to send their children to school and children afraid to be at school. This is not conducive to learning,' said Jiménez. 'It impacts all of our schools, families and communities. This bill is an opportunity to reassure families and students that their schools are safe as can be and to restore a proper learning environment.' State Rep. Dagmara Avelar, a Democrat from Bolingbrook, recalled growing up as an undocumented student. She said not a day went by without her fearing immigration authorities would go after her parents at work. 'This was something that I was thinking about when I was a young person,' she said in support of the bill. 'Yet, decades later, it seems that we're seeing the same struggle and the same trauma with children happening right now.' The bill would require a school to develop procedures for reviewing and authorizing requests from law enforcement agents trying to enter a school by July 1, 2026. It would also allow anyone aggrieved by a violation of the measure to file a civil lawsuit up to two years after the alleged infraction occurred. Chicago Public Schools has maintained a strong and clear policy to not allow U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to access school facilities unless they present a criminal judicial warrant signed by a federal judge. The district will also not share student information with ICE without a court order or parental consent. CPS security video shows Secret Service trying to enter Hamline Elementary School In a statement, a CPS spokesperson said that 'in alignment with state and federal law, CPS strictly prohibits any form of discrimination or harassment and ensures that no student is denied access to educational services based on their immigration status. 'CPS policies firmly uphold that every child residing in Chicago — regardless of background — is entitled to a high-quality education in a safe and supportive environment,' it read. For the Illinois legislation, Jiménez is among 30 House Democratic sponsors on her bill, a group that includes House Speaker Emanuel 'Chris' Welch. There are also 12 Democratic Senate sponsors so far on the measure. In an interview this week, Jiménez said her legislation is especially important in light of the Trump administration's decision to rescind a Biden-era policy to protect certain areas, like churches and schools, from immigration enforcement. She also noted how last month, agents from ICE tried to enter one or two schools in Los Angeles but were not let in. Jiménez also noted there were double-digit percentage drops in attendance in certain schools in January in her district, which includes schools with predominantly Latino populations in Chicago's Humboldt Park, Belmont Cragin, and Hermosa areas. Her district includes undocumented and 'mixed-status' families, she said. Data obtained by the Tribune through a Freedom of Information Act request show that attendance rates fell at all schools across the district the week of Jan. 20, when the 47th president was sworn in. Over 50% of students attending the 10 schools that experienced the biggest attendance drops are Latino, according to enrollment data on the district's website. The names of the schools are being withheld at request by CPS out of concern for potential retaliation from the federal government. Erika Méndez, director of Pre-K-12 policy at the Latino Policy Forum, cheered the advancement of the legislation. 'Right now, in our communities, immigrant parents and their children are under incredible stress and anguish when considering whether it is safe to go to school. Schools should be safe and nurturing environments where all students, regardless of their immigration status, can thrive, and where parents can trust that they will see their children at the end of the school day, ' Mendez said. 'The Safe Schools for All Act would help give parents and children that peace of mind.' The bill, Jiménez said, remains a priority for the legislative Latino Caucus. She added that she has been working with the Illinois attorney general's office to make the bill more resistant to any federal action. For her, it is personal. Her mother was undocumented for the majority of her life 'because of the difficulties with the immigration system,' Jiménez said. Though her mother never had a criminal record and was an 'exemplary' volunteer in her community, Jiménez said someone else in the same situation as her mother 'is being targeted right now.' She wants to ensure that families in that situation as hers have peace of mind amid so much uncertainty. 'They're knocking on people's doors. They're going to schools,' Jiménez said of the Trump administration. 'Also, the fact that they're throwing due process out the window…Everything they're doing in the courts is completely unprecedented.'
Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Illinois Senate to weigh measure prohibiting public schools from denying students based on immigration status
In the final days of the spring legislative session, Illinois lawmakers this week advanced a bill to the Senate that would prohibit public schools from denying a student's access to free education based on that child's immigration status or that of their parents — a move aimed at reinforcing long standing constitutional federal protections amid renewed scrutiny of immigrant rights at the state level. The bill, sponsored by Chicago Democratic Rep. Lilian Jiménez, would prohibit a child within Illinois from being deprived of free public education through high school 'based on the child's perceived or actual immigration status or the child's parent's or guardian's perceived or actual citizenship or immigration status.' The legislation also says a school must not exclude a child 'from participation in or deny a child the benefits of any program or activity' for those same reasons. The proposal comes as the Tennessee state Senate earlier this year passed a bill requiring citizenship or immigration documentation for schoolchildren in the state. Though that legislation has since fizzled for now because of pushback by its opponents, which include immigration rights advocates, according to news reports, it highlighted a broader national tension. The Illinois measure, which seeks to create clear statutory language protecting immigrant school-age children or children of undocumented immigrants, passed Wednesday night by a 70-40 vote through the Democrat-led House. Two Democrats sided with Republicans in voting against it: Diane Blair-Sherlock of Villa Park and Michael Kelly of Chicago. The bill is now in the Senate for its consideration. In a brief interview Thursday morning, state Rep. John Cabello, a Republican from Machesney Park, said he voted against the bill because he believes free education should be reserved for citizens. 'I'm Mexican, but I still believe that you should be a tax paying citizen to receive anything free from the government,' he said. 'Why would we give people that are not from our country free schooling?' Jiménez said she grew up with a parent who was undocumented, and, after Donald Trump's second presidential victory, she feared for the future of families like hers. During the House floor debate, Jiménez noted that federal law prohibits denying or eliminating access to public education based on immigration status but said that the right to public education 'is eroded whenever people are afraid to exercise it.' 'In our state, there are parents who are afraid to send their children to school and children afraid to be at school. This is not conducive to learning,' said Jiménez. 'It impacts all of our schools, families and communities. This bill is an opportunity to reassure families and students that their schools are safe as can be and to restore a proper learning environment.' State Rep. Dagmara Avelar, a Democrat from Bolingbrook, recalled growing up as an undocumented student. She said not a day went by without her fearing immigration authorities would go after her parents at work. 'This was something that I was thinking about when I was a young person,' she said in support of the bill. 'Yet, decades later, it seems that we're seeing the same struggle and the same trauma with children happening right now.' The bill would require a school to develop procedures for reviewing and authorizing requests from law enforcement agents trying to enter a school by July 1, 2026. It would also allow anyone aggrieved by a violation of the measure to file a civil lawsuit up to two years after the alleged infraction occurred. Chicago Public Schools has maintained a strong and clear policy to not allow U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to access school facilities unless they present a criminal judicial warrant signed by a federal judge. The district will also not share student information with ICE without a court order or parental consent. CPS security video shows Secret Service trying to enter Hamline Elementary SchoolIn a statement, a CPS spokesperson said that 'in alignment with state and federal law, CPS strictly prohibits any form of discrimination or harassment and ensures that no student is denied access to educational services based on their immigration status. 'CPS policies firmly uphold that every child residing in Chicago — regardless of background — is entitled to a high-quality education in a safe and supportive environment,' it read. For the Illinois legislation, Jiménez is among 30 House Democratic sponsors on her bill, a group that includes House Speaker Emanuel 'Chris' Welch. There are also 12 Democratic Senate sponsors so far on the measure. In an interview this week, Jiménez said her legislation is especially important in light of the Trump administration's decision to rescind a Biden-era policy to protect certain areas, like churches and schools, from immigration enforcement. She also noted how last month, agents from ICE tried to enter one or two schools in Los Angeles but were not let in. Jiménez also noted there were double-digit percentage drops in attendance in certain schools in January in her district, which includes schools with predominantly Latino populations in Chicago's Humboldt Park, Belmont Cragin, and Hermosa areas. Her district includes undocumented and 'mixed-status' families, she said. Data obtained by the Tribune through a Freedom of Information Act request show that attendance rates fell at all schools across the district the week of Jan. 20, when the 47th president was sworn in. Over 50% of students attending the 10 schools that experienced the biggest attendance drops are Latino, according to enrollment data on the district's website. The names of the schools are being withheld at request by CPS out of concern for potential retaliation from the federal government. Erika Méndez, director of Pre-K-12 policy at the Latino Policy Forum, cheered the advancement of the legislation. 'Right now, in our communities, immigrant parents and their children are under incredible stress and anguish when considering whether it is safe to go to school. Schools should be safe and nurturing environments where all students, regardless of their immigration status, can thrive, and where parents can trust that they will see their children at the end of the school day, ' Mendez said. 'The Safe Schools for All Act would help give parents and children that peace of mind.' The bill, Jiménez said, remains a priority for the legislative Latino Caucus. She added that she has been working with the Illinois attorney general's office to make the bill more resistant to any federal action. For her, it is personal. Her mother was undocumented for the majority of her life 'because of the difficulties with the immigration system,' Jiménez said. Though her mother never had a criminal record and was an 'exemplary' volunteer in her community, Jiménez said someone else in the same situation as her mother 'is being targeted right now.' She wants to ensure that families in that situation as hers have peace of mind amid so much uncertainty. 'They're knocking on people's doors. They're going to schools,' Jiménez said of the Trump administration. 'Also, the fact that they're throwing due process out the window…Everything they're doing in the courts is completely unprecedented.'
AU Financial Review
4 days ago
- Business
- AU Financial Review
A complacent Wonder Down Under is heading for a productivity fail
Why hasn't Australia seen a shift towards economic rationalism along the lines of what has recently played out in the United States? One explanation is the absence of a cathartic internal crisis. In the US, voters have had the ability to evaluate the economic performance of two colliding business models in the form of key Democrat-led states like California, New Jersey and New York vis-à-vis their Republican rivals Texas and Florida. According to the Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan Washington think tank, California (48), New Jersey (49) and New York (50) are the three worst ranked states from a total tax competitiveness perspective.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Canada, China praise court ruling striking down Trump's tariffs
Global leaders and some trade stakeholders are reacting positively to a U.S. federal court ruling blocking many of the recent tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. The Court of International Trade (CIT) ruled on Wednesday that the Trump administration overstepped its authority by using a 1977 federal economic emergency law to justify the tariffs. According to the court, the law does not specify tariffs as a tool available to the president to protect the U.S. from economic threats. The ruling covers a wide range of fentanyl- and immigration-related tariffs, including 25% levies on goods from Canada and Mexico and 30% on China, as well as 10% reciprocal tariffs that had impacted nearly every major U.S. trading partner. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he welcomed the court's decision. '[The decision] is consistent with Canada's long-standing position that the … tariffs were unlawful as well as unjustified,' Carney told Parliament on Thursday. Chinese officials lauded the ruling and said the Trump administration should abandon the tariffs. 'China urges the U.S. to heed the rational voices of the international community and domestic parties and completely revoke the wrong approach of unilateral tariff hikes,' China's Ministry of Commerce spokesperson, He Yongqian, said at a news conference on Thursday, according to Reuters. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her administration would delay directly commenting on the court's ruling until more information becomes available. 'We learned about the resolution yesterday. Today, the Secretary of Economy will give us an analysis of this. We know that the United States government will file a counterclaim against the resolution, so we'll see its scope,' Sheinbaum said during her daily news conference on Thursday. CIT's ruling on Trump's tariffs stemmed from lawsuits filed by several small businesses — VOS Selections Inc., Plastic Services and Products LLC (Genova Pipe), MicroKits LLC, FishUSA Inc., and Terry Precision Cycling LLC — along with lawsuits by Democrat-led states: Oregon, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York and Vermont. The plaintiffs argued that the Trump administration exceeded its International Emergency Economic Powers Act authority, asserting that only Congress has exclusive power to regulate commerce and impose duties. The administration immediately appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, with some experts predicting a Supreme Court review due to the case's implications for presidential power. The Liberty Justice Center, a nonpartisan organization that represented five owner-operated businesses in the case, also praised the ruling. 'We're delighted by the decision of the Court of International Trade enjoining the President's so-called 'Liberation Day' tariffs,' Jeffrey Schwab, senior counsel and director of litigation at the Liberty Justice Center, said in a news release. 'This ruling reaffirms that the President must act within the bounds of the law, and it protects American businesses and consumers from the destabilizing effects of volatile, unilaterally imposed tariffs.' Victor Schwartz, a plaintiff in the case and owner of New York-based wine importer VOS Selections Inc., also hailed the decision. 'I am elated by the ruling. This is a win for my small business along with small businesses across America — and the world for that matter,' Schwartz said in a statement. 'We are aware of the appeal already filed and we firmly believe in our lawsuit and will see it all the way through to the United States Supreme Court.' While the ruling voids many of the tariffs that triggered global retaliation and unsettled markets over the past several weeks, some import duties remain in place. Tariffs still intact are the 25% duties on automotive, steel and aluminum imports. Carney said those tariffs still pose a significant disruption to trade between the U.S. and Canada. 'We recognize that our trading relationship with the U.S. is still profoundly and adversely affected,' Carney said. The post Canada, China praise court ruling striking down Trump's tariffs appeared first on FreightWaves.
