A proposed bill in Illinois would implement a pilot program to allow the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office to represent non-citizens who are victims of crime for free in the federal immigration system.
Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart announced his support for Illinois House Bill 2731, which would establish the Victim Centered Approach Pilot Program Act to expand legal protections for non-citizen victims of violent crime in Lake County.
HB 2731 is sponsored by representatives Daniel Didech (D-Buffalo Grove), Rita Mayfield (D-Waukegan), Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield) and supported in the Senate by senators Mary Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville) and Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove).
The bill would authorize the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office to implement a pilot program to represent non-citizen victims of violent crimes in filings for immigration remedies before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) administrative body.
The proposed bill says the “victim-centered approach” empowers survivors by providing them with immediate legal services that will put them on a path to legal status, which is often delayed due to lack of funding or resources.
The program would allow the office to provide direct representation or legal counsel to 50 eligible non-citizen victims each year for the next five years if the bill passes.
Those who qualify for assistance under the pilot program must be a non-citizen victim who have never been placed in removal proceedings, must have suffered a violent crime in Lake County and must not be barred from seeking immigration remedies before the administrative body.
The state’s attorney’s office said it would adhere to ethical guidelines and only represent victims when there was no legal conflict of interest.
“Victims of violent crime should feel safe coming forward and working with law enforcement to hold perpetrators accountable,” Didech said.
“This bill builds on the Lake County State’s Attorney’s innovative work supporting crime victims by allowing their office to provide direct legal assistance to immigrant victims of crime, strengthening protections as they pursue justice,” Didech said.
Edly-Allen said community organizations like Mano a Mano Family Resource Center and others serving immigrant and working families support HB 2731 because the organizations see firsthand the barriers victims face when seeking justice.
“Their partnership and advocacy have helped shape a thoughtful, victim-centered approach that reflects the real needs of Lake County residents,” Edly-Allen said.
The Victim Centered Approach Pilot Program would operate for five years, serving up to 250 non-citizen victims of violent crime in Lake County, if the bill is enacted.
The state’s attorney’s office said the program would strengthen collaboration between prosecutors and immigrant communities.
“Victims remain our top priority, and we must ensure that every victim feels safe and supported. HB 2731 recognizes that immigration-related fears can prevent victims from coming forward. By providing legal guidance in appropriate cases, we can enhance public safety and hold offenders accountable,” Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said.
“HB 2731 is an innovative approach to focus on victims’ needs and giving access to immigration legal services is critical amongst the overwhelming situation of being victimized— not only for the victim who needs to navigate complex systems, but also for the health of communities and families,” Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office Chief of Victim Services Jacqueline Herrera Giron said.
The state’s attorney’s office said they look forward to working with state lawmakers and community partners to advance the legislation and further protect victims of violent crime.