Immigrant and refugee groups were pushing their legislative agenda today in the Illinois Capitol. They want the state to restore adult English classes and limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
College Student Sanjin Ibrahimovic is a refugee from Bosnia. He says he wants families arriving in Illinois today to have the same support his family got 20 years ago. He’d also like Governor Bruce Rauner to be more outspoken on the issue.
“I would like to see him take a strong pro-immigration stance, a strong acceptance of refugee stance. I want to to really see him show some fire, show some passion into the state and the people he represents.”
In 2015, Rauner joined other Republican governors in declaring that Illinois would not accept refugees from Syria. He says he favors changing federal immigration laws, but has declined to take a position on legislation meant to make Illinois a so-called sanctuary state.
