(The Center Square) – A coalition of community, business and labor groups is urging the Biden administration to extend work permits for undocumented workers in Illinois.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson joined the American Business Immigration Coalition Thursday for a roundtable discussion in an effort they said was designed to address a growing labor shortage and stabilize the workforce.
“We are going to continue to urge President Biden to use every tool that is at his disposal to support our new arrivals and undocumented residents,” Johnson said.
The coalition reports that immigrant workers in Illinois contribute $1.5 billion in taxes and make up 4.3% of the state’s workforce. They said the state is home to 480,000 long-term undocumented residents.
Jim Reynolds, CEO of the brokerage firm Loop Capital, said the state’s population loss has affected the workforce.
“It’s downstate that really has suffered loss of population,” Reynolds said. “The Peorias, the Rockfords, the Joliets, the Auroras, the Champaigns, where these companies are located, the secret weapon here in Illinois is more workers.”
There was nationwide backlash when Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill into law that allows for non-U.S. citizens to apply to become police officers.
The bill “provides that an individual who is not a citizen but is legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law is authorized to apply for the position of police officer, subject to all requirements and limitations, other than citizenship, to which other applicants are subject.” They must legally be authorized to both work and carry a firearm in the country.
Illinois U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, a Republican, blasted the law on X, formerly Twitter.
“No sane state would allow foreign nationals to arrest their citizens, this is madness!” Miller wrote.
