The Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) thundered against the bill signed by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, D., allowing people without US citizenship can work as police officers in the state.
In the opinion of the entity, which has more than 355,000 members nationwide, the action sends the wrong message about the administration of law.
“What message does this legislation send when it allows people who do not have legal status to become the enforcers of our laws?” the fraternity said in statements to ABC 20.
“This is a potential crisis of trust in law enforcement at a time when our officers need as much public trust as possible,” the Order added.
Bill 3751 introduced in the state House of Representatives establishes that the US citizenship requirement will no longer be required for a person to serve as a police officer in the state.
The measure was signed by the governor on Friday and It will enter into force on January 1, 2024..
The legislation provides for an individual who is not a citizen but is legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law to apply for a police officer position, subject to all requirements and limitations except citizenship.
The law further specifies that non-citizens must be able to obtain, carry, purchase and possess a firearm under federal law to apply for the job.
The provisions of the law add that the immigrants who remain in the country under programs such as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) may also apply for a job as a policeman.
Federal law currently prohibits non-US citizens from serving as police officers and sheriffs.
Not only police organizations have shown opposition to the change, the former Chicago mayoral candidate (first under the Democratic Party and later as an independent), Willie Wilson, considered that the law defies common sense that non-citizens must by law arrest and detain citizens.
Several Republicans have also questioned the scope of the measure passed by both houses earlier in the year.
Representative Mary Miller considered that no state in its right mind would allow foreign nationals to arrest its citizens.
“At 5 p.m. yesterday, when no one was paying attention, Pritzker signed a law that allows undocumented immigrants to become police officers, empowering non-US citizens to citizens in our state,” the legislator shared on Twitter on Saturday.
“No state in its right mind would allow foreign nationals to arrest its citizens, this is crazy!” he said.
“In the state of Illinois, undocumented immigrants can now become police officers. Yes, you heard right! ”, Shared, for her part, the Republican representative of Colorado, Lauren Boebert, on the same network.
“People who are breaking the law by being here can now arrest US citizens. You know that other (Democratic) blue states are watching and ready to implement these ideas as soon as they can!” she added. “Either we address this crisis at the border or we let our country fall further into a leftist dystopia,” Boebert said.
The Democratic governor’s move comes amid a drop in the number of police officers In Chicago. Last year, the city’s police department had to ease recruitment requirements by waiving the 60 college credits for aspiring forces, while expanding opportunities through online exams.
