The theme for the second day of the Republican National Convention was “Make America Safe Again," with a focus on safety and immigration. As WNIJ has previously reported, tying immigrants with crime is an old anti-immigrant trope.
The use of the term “illegals” to describe immigrants who entered the U.S. at the southern border has been common among delegates.
Jim Marter is the Republican candidate for Illinois' 14th Congressional District. He says Joliet Township’s decision to turn down state funding to support asylum seekers is proof of the rejection of migrants in Illinois.
“People are concerned about that,” he said. “I mean, it's a safety issue, it's an economic issue.”
Since 2022, Chicago has been the primary destination for buses arriving in Illinois that were sent by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
Illinois party leaders also discussed the safety-related legislation they’re advocating for in Springfield.
Illinois State Senator Terri Bryant represents a rural southern district and formerly worked in Illinois Corrections. She introduced the bill to repeal the Illinois Trust Act.
The law passed under former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner prohibits local law enforcement from acting as immigration enforcement agents. Bryant said Rauner’s support for the law did not reflect the party.
“Governor Rauner lost a lot of the support that he had within the party,” she said, “because he signed the Trust Act.”
When asked about the impact her bill may have on racial profiling of Latinos, Bryant said, “I mean, look, I'm green-eyed and I don't feel the same things probably that you feel.”
Then-Gov. Rauner defended the law, arguing that it increased safety by improving cooperation between local law enforcement and immigrant communities.
Legislators including State Senators Dave Syverson and Andrew Chesney and State Representative John Cabello have called for a repeal of the Trust Act.
Illinois Republican legislators also call for a repeal of the SAFE-T Act, a criminal justice reform law that includes the abolishment of cash bail.
