HB 2691 The RISE Act
would ensure that Illinois students have a fair chance to attend institutions of higher learning by addressing the needs of the following populations of students:
a) Students who are required to use most of their funding on remedial courses that would help them qualify for college-level courses and run out of support preventing them from finishing their education;
b) Students who do not qualify for federal aid because they are undocumented; and
c) Transgender students who are disqualified for federal financial aid due to their inability to register for selective service
HB 2040 The Private Detention Facility Moratorium Act
matters because
for-profit prison companies have been trying to build civil immigration detention centers in Illinois since 2011, despite our state's existing ban on privatized criminal facilities. These companies make their profits from mass incarceration, primarily of immigrants and communities of color. Their business model involves maximizing their profit by keeping their facilities full while minimizing their expenses by cutting corners. They pursue their profit-maximizing goals without any public safety rationale and even though better, more humane alternatives to detention are available. Driven by their bottom line, private prison companies have left a long trail of human suffering:
These bills are consistent with LWVUS positions on Equality of Opportunity and Immigration, that all persons should receive fair treatment under the law and that immigration policies should promote reunification of immediate families; meet economic, business and employment needs; and be responsive to those facing political persecution or humanitarian crises.
Thank you for your advocacy,
