(The Center Square) – Under the cloud of a severe snowstorm in Springfield during lame duck session, the Illinois Senate passed a measure Republicans warn would allow illegal immigrants to whitewash their backgrounds to evade federal and foreign authorities.
In the Senate Executive Committee, state Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, brought House Bill 5164 to repeal the mandate for someone legally changing their name to publish the action publicly, but with an amendment.
“The Illinois State Police must update any criminal history, transcript or offender registration for each person 18 years of age or older to include the change of name as well as the person’s former name,” Villivalam told the committee Sunday.
Senate Minority Leader John Curran, R-Downers Grove, said despite the amendment, he still had significant concerns.
“That is going to be an easy path or avenue for someone here illegally to just kind of wipe clean their past,” Curran said during the committee hearing.
Moments later on the Senate floor, state Sen. Andrew Chesney, R-Freeport, said the measure will shield illegal immigrants in the state after living in Illinois for only three months. He said it was convenient that the measure advanced as snow paralyzed the capital city.
“Because this is the cover up. This is how you cover up all the wrongdoings of state policy,” Chesney said.
Springfield was hit with a snowstorm Sunday that was forecasted to bring upwards to a foot of snow in some areas.
Villivalam said the measure wasn’t held for a snow storm, but rather was held over from November’s veto session to allow for an amendment from a state’s attorney association.
Others asked if there’s a timeline for such name changes to be reported by Illinois State Police. Villivalam said that wasn’t a concern.
“So we’re relying on the Illinois State Police and the state’s attorneys to provide us with their perspective,” he said. “They’ve done that. That’s the language before you.”
Republicans said such a measure is dangerous with an “unmanageable amount” of non-citizens coming to the state.
Villivalam said the individuals impacted by the measure are “adoptees, survivors of domestic and intimate partner violence, survivors of human trafficking, survivors of gender-based violence, transgender people and refugees.”
The measure was approved 33-16.
Legislators return Monday for lame duck session, where the measure could be brought up in the House. The final full day of the 103rd Illinois General Assembly is Tuesday. The 104th General Assembly will be seated Wednesday at noon.