Quincy Reporter

With Illinois facing a $3.2 billion budget deficit, Senate Republicans are pushing for more transparency in how taxpayer dollars are spent on programs for non-citizens. On February 5, State Senators Jil Tracy (R-Quincy), Dave Syverson (R-Cherry Valley), and Li Arellano, Jr. (R-Dixon) reintroduced legislation that would require detailed annual reports on this spending.

Since Governor JB Pritzker took office, spending on non-citizen programs has increased from a few million to over $1 billion annually. This includes providing free healthcare, legal services, and housing as part of his initiative to make Illinois “the most welcoming state in the nation.”

In the last two and a half years, the Governor has issued 30 monthly emergency declarations that allowed him to redirect taxpayer money without legislative oversight. Critics argue this comes at a time when families are struggling with high taxes and rising living costs.

Senate Bill 1699 aims to mandate the Illinois Department of Human Services, along with other state agencies, to submit an annual report to the General Assembly detailing spending on non-citizens. The report would include specifics such as total amounts spent, appropriations made, numbers of families impacted, funding sources, and awarded contracts for services like healthcare and housing. It also requires these details be made publicly available online.

The bill further stipulates that future state budgets should include a detailed accounting of all proposed spending on non-citizen populations.

As the state budget process is set to begin after Gov. Pritzker’s address on February 18, Sen. Tracy is advocating for clarity regarding expenditures on non-citizen programs and their effects on essential services for taxpaying residents.

Meanwhile, following a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice against Chicago and other jurisdictions over sanctuary laws, Sen. Tracy and fellow Republican legislators are urging Gov. Pritzker to repeal the Trust Act which limits cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

The DOJ’s lawsuit claims these areas hinder federal immigration enforcement by restricting local law enforcement's collaboration with ICE. According to Sen. Tracy: "Gov. Pritzker’s policies are putting Illinois families at risk by prioritizing political agendas over public safety."

Under current legislation like the Trust Act, local law enforcement faces restrictions in transferring violent criminals to ICE or sharing critical information about them with federal authorities unless under very limited conditions.

The ongoing legal battle seeks accountability from Gov. Pritzker for creating what critics say are legal barriers shielding violent offenders from deportation.

Additionally, taxpayers in Illinois are reminded by the Department of Revenue not to miss out on key tax credits when filing their 2024 returns—these include credits like Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Child Tax Credit (CTC), Volunteer Emergency Worker Credit (VEW), Education Expense Credit among others—that can help reduce liabilities or increase refunds during financially challenging times according to Sen. Tracy's encouragements.