EVANSTON, IL — State Senator Laura Fine (D–Glenview) today celebrated the signing of HB 1312, landmark legislation she sponsored to strengthen protections for immigrant families across Illinois by ensuring daycares, colleges, and courthouses are safe, accessible, and free from intimidation.

Senator Fine, who represents one of the most diverse districts in the state, home to long-established immigrant communities as well as newly arrived families, called the law “a necessary step toward restoring trust, safety, and stability.”

“Illinois cannot control federal immigration policy, but we can protect our neighbors and make sure our local institutions are places of safety and not  spaces filled with fear,” Fine said. “HB 1312 ensures that the people who make up the communities in the district - our immigrant families, our students, our workers, can move through their daily lives with dignity and respect.”

Under HB 1312, licensed child care providers must implement protections for immigrant parents and guardians seeking services; public colleges must adopt clear policies ensuring students are not targeted or discouraged based on immigration status; and civil immigration arrests will no longer be permitted in or around Illinois courthouses. The new law also establishes the Illinois Bivens Act, giving individuals the ability to bring legal action if their rights are violated by improper civil immigration enforcement actions.

HB 1312 adds to Senator Fine’s record of more than 190 laws passed, including major reforms in health care access, consumer protections, and behavioral health.

“This law reflects a simple belief: everyone who calls Illinois home deserves to feel safe here,” Fine said.

HB 1312 takes effect immediately.