State Senator Laura Fine speaking on the Senate floorSPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Fine has introduced Senate Bill 2712, comprehensive legislation to protect access to essential services and strengthen privacy when federal immigration enforcement occurs at schools, hospitals, or in local communities across Illinois.

“Making sure that people feel safe in our communities, schools, and hospitals is our responsibility as lawmakers in Illinois,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “This bill gives teachers, essential healthcare workers, and law enforcement the tools to do their jobs while keeping our neighborhoods safe from fear-based enforcement and federal overreach."

This legislation includes several key provisions:

  • This bill requires that every Illinois school district and higher education institution must establish procedures and make good-faith efforts to notify parents, students, and staff when immigration enforcement activity is confirmed on campus, without releasing personal information.
  • Healthcare facilities must adopt policies to prevent immigration agents from entering non-public treatment areas without a judicial warrant, and to train staff on how to handle such requests lawfully and safely.
  • Authorizes public defenders across Illinois to represent non-citizens in immigration cases, and creates a $3 million annual Deportation Defense Grant Program administered by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority to fund this work statewide.
  • Increases privacy protections around Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) data to ensure this data is not shared with federal agents to be used for immigration enforcement.

Together, these reforms codify Illinois’ commitment to being a state that values both public safety and human dignity and ensures that essential services remain accessible to everyone, regardless of citizenship or background.

Senate Bill 2712 awaits further action.