Immigration

Amends the Illinois Identification Card Act. Provides that the Secretary of State shall not collect a fee for a standard Illinois Identification Card issued to a transgender person, or the immediate family of that person, moving to Illinois due to an act of persecution. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits hate crime when, by reason of the actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, citizenship, immigration status, or national origin of another individual or group of individuals, regardless of the existence of any other motivating factor or factors the person displays or causes to be displayed, on public or private property, a burning cross, a Nazi swastika, or a noose, with the intent to intimidate a person or group of persons or incite violence against a person or group of persons. Provides that the provisions of the amendatory Act are severable under the Statute on Statutes.

Amends the State Budget Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and for each fiscal year thereafter, the budget shall include a separate line item request appropriating moneys to each State agency for: (1) estimated costs for services provided to undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers through various State grants, entitlements, or other programmatic services; and (2) expenditures for the previous fiscal year and estimated expenditures for the current fiscal year for services provided to undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers through various State grants, entitlements, or other programmatic services. Effective immediately.

Amends the Administration Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to provide persons lawfully admitted for permanent residence under the Immigration and Nationality Act and other people of all immigration statuses the same medical coverage for family planning and family planning-related services and supplies as provided under the Medical Assistance Program to eligible persons who are United States citizens. Provides that to be eligible for family planning and related services, lawful permanent residents or other people of all immigration statuses must meet all other eligibility qualifications under the HFS Family Planning Program established in accordance with the Illinois' Family Planning State Plan Amendment as approved by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Provides that the Department shall not require lawful permanent residents or other people of all immigration statuses who are otherwise eligible for family planning and related services under the amendatory Act to complete a mandatory waiting period as a condition of receiving medical coverage.

Amends the Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act. Provides that an employer enrolled in an Employment Eligibility Verification System, including the E-Verify program, shall not impose work authorization verification or re-verification requirements greater than those required by the Employment Eligibility Verification System. Provides that, if an employer receives notification from any federal agency or other outside third party not responsible for the enforcement of immigration law of a discrepancy as it relates to an employee's individual taxpayer identification number or other identifying documents, guarantees specified rights and protections to the employee. Makes changes in provisions concerning the administration and enforcement of the Act by the Department of Labor. Sets forth provisions concerning action for civil penalties brought by an interested party; private right of action; penalties; and review under the Administrative Review Law.

Amends the Personal Information Protection Act. Provides that a data collector shall not own, maintain, license, store, or disclose records that contain immigration or citizenship status information concerning an Illinois resident. Provides that the provision shall not apply to government agencies, public and private universities, or financial institutions. Provides that the definition of "personal information" includes immigration or citizenship status information. Defines "immigration or citizenship status information".

Creates the Freedom to Train Act. Provides that notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, employers and State-supported institutions of higher learning in this State may establish, maintain, and implement policies, practices, and requirements for the employment and conduct of employees in the workplace that are designed to safeguard employees and applicants for employment from discrimination based on race, creed, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Provides that the policies, practices, and requirements may be developed and administered through an office of diversity, equity, and inclusion or another administrative office or program established by the employer or State-supported institution of higher learning. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services may provide medical assistance coverage to persons who are foreign-born victims of human trafficking, torture, or other serious crimes, and their derivative family members, if such persons meet certain residency and income requirements and meet one of the following conditions: (i) have filed an application for asylum status that is pending with the appropriate federal agency or have a pending appeal of such an application; (ii) are receiving services through a federally funded treatment center; (iii) have filed an application for T nonimmigrant status; (iv) have filed an application for U nonimmigrant status; or (v) have filed as a derivative family member of a T or U nonimmigrant status applicant. Removes language conditioning medical assistance eligibility for such persons on their eligibility for benefits under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Creates the Victim Centered Approach Pilot Program Act. Provides that the Lake County State's Attorney shall develop a program to represent noncitizen victims of violent crimes in the filing of victim remedies before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Office administrative body. Provides that the Lake County State's Attorney shall use any funding provided to the pilot program to represent or give counsel to 50 noncitizen victims annually for the next 5 years who were victimized by violent crimes in Lake County. Provides that the to be eligible for assistance under the program, an individual must: (1) be a noncitizen victim, who has never been placed in removal proceedings; (2) have suffered a violent crime in Lake County; and (3) not be barred from the immigration remedies before the administrative body. Amends the Counties Code. Provides that, in counties with a population of more than 500,000, a State's Attorney may act, without fee or appointment, as an attorney to a noncitizen victim in an immigration case only if the noncitizen victim was victimized within the county the State's Attorney serves and is located within the geographic boundaries of the county served by the State's Attorney.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services may provide medical assistance coverage to persons who are foreign-born victims of human trafficking, torture, or other serious crimes, and their derivative family members, if such persons meet certain residency and income requirements and meet one of the following conditions: (i) have filed an application for asylum status that is pending with the appropriate federal agency or have a pending appeal of such an application; (ii) are receiving services through a federally funded treatment center; (iii) have filed an application for T nonimmigrant status; (iv) have filed an application for U nonimmigrant status; or (v) have filed as a derivative family member of a T or U nonimmigrant status applicant. Removes language conditioning medical assistance eligibility for such persons on their eligibility for benefits under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.