ICE hiring ban bill reignites SAFE-T Act fight at Illinois Capitol

By Catrina Baker | The Center Square contributor
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – A newly introduced bill that would bar former Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from working in state and local law enforcement in Illinois is sparking intense debate, with supporters calling it a necessary accountability measure and critics warning it could worsen police shortages and undermine public safety.

State Sen. Laura Fine, D-Glenview, who is also running for Congress, announced the legislation in a social media video this week, saying it was prompted by recent immigration enforcement actions she described as violent and intimidating.

“I’m headed to Springfield, and I am going to talk to my colleagues about my new legislation that bars ICE agents from working for law enforcement at both the local and state level here in Illinois,” Fine said. “After what happened in Minneapolis, it was a glass break moment. Enough is enough.”

But Rep. John Cabello, R–Rockford, a law enforcement officer, said he strongly opposes the proposal and does not believe it is necessary or constitutional.

“I don’t believe the bill is needed in any way, shape, or form, and I will not be supporting it,” Cabello told TCS. “Normally, local officers go to the feds. It’s usually not the other way around.”

Cabello said former federal officers typically only enter local policing roles after retirement.

“Not one more child should have to live without their parent,” Fine said. “The violence and intimidation has to stop. This legislation will hold agents accountable.”

Cabello questioned whether the bill’s sponsor could produce evidence showing that former ICE agents working in Illinois law enforcement pose a public safety risk.

“I have no idea what she can present,” he said.

Cabello also linked the proposal to broader Democratic-backed criminal justice reforms, particularly Illinois’ SAFE-T Act, which he said has already harmed law enforcement operations.

“When the Democrats passed the Safety Act, they decimated law enforcement,” Cabello said. “Now they’re saying they don’t even want former ICE agents working for any law enforcement in the state of Illinois. You’re just continually attacking law enforcement.”

Cabello said he has worked on legislative proposals aimed at revising the SAFE-T Act through a working group, but those efforts have stalled.

“We had a working group, the TIPS Working Group,” he said. “We put bills together that would make the SAFE-T Act better, and I’ve handed all of them to [state Rep.] Justin Slaughter, D-Chicago. We’ve heard zero, zilch.”

The ICE-related bill could also face procedural hurdles if it is determined to preempt home rule authority, which would require a three-fifths supermajority vote in the General Assembly.

“If it preempts home rule, they’ll need 71 votes,” Cabello said. “Every single Democrat is going to have to vote yes.”

He also questioned Fine’s motives, pointing to her congressional campaign.

Cabello criticized the bill’s scope, noting it applies broadly to former ICE agents regardless of whether they have any documented disciplinary history.

“Smoke and mirrors,” Cabello said. “She’s running for Congress.”

“This legislation will make sure the Trump administration can no longer use its rhetoric and its violence here in the state of Illinois,” Fine said, adding that she plans to pursue similar accountability measures if elected to Congress.

The legislation has been filed but has not yet been scheduled for a committee hearing.

Currently, Illinois law allows non-citizens to work as police officers as long as they are in the country legally and can obtain a federal carry permit.