CHICAGO – This morning, Gov. Bruce Rauner signed Senate Bill 31, also known as the Trust Act, into law. The new law seeks to protect immigrants from government overreach and unlawful arrest.

State Senator Omar Aquino, D-Chicago, issued the following statement:

“I represent one of the most diverse senate districts in the state, a community that immigrants from all over the world call home. Immigrants contribute to the local economy, pay taxes and work hard to strengthen their communities. They deserve to know that they will not have their rights violated as they go about their daily business.

“With all of the dangerous rhetoric on display in this country, it is the responsibility of state officials to give immigrants some peace of mind. The new law benefits immigrants as well as law enforcement agencies, as many crimes go unreported because witnesses fear arrest and deportation when dealing with the police.

“The Trust Act makes sense for Chicago and Illinois; it gives law-abiding people a sense of security and encourages cooperation instead of fear when interacting with law enforcement. Through bipartisanship and compromise, we have created a reasonable bill that will improve life in the communities that I serve and in communities in every corner of Illinois.”