Peoria Standard

Illinois State Senator Li Arellano has expressed concerns that expanding the Trust Act could weaken cooperation between state and federal law enforcement, potentially undermining public safety. His statement was made on Facebook.

"Many expected progress on issues like energy or transit, but instead Democrats may be looking to expand the TRUST Act—further damaging safe, effective immigration control in Illinois," said Arellano, according to Facebook. "To keep our communities safe, law enforcement needs full cooperation between federal and state agencies. Expanding this law only makes it harder to remove dangerous individuals from our streets. I'll be voting against this reckless proposal if it pops up!"

According to Capitol News Illinois, Illinois lawmakers are revisiting the state's immigration cooperation laws during the fall veto session. Republicans have proposed scaling back the TRUST and Way Forward Acts, while Democrats defend these measures as essential for maintaining community trust. This debate follows recent federal immigration raids in Chicago, which have intensified calls to clarify the limits of local police cooperation.

As reported by the Illinois Attorney General, 27 law enforcement agencies across the state received 523 civil immigration detainers or warrants in 2023. Meanwhile, 31 agencies reported receiving 503 federal requests, of which only 58—or about 11.5%—were accepted. These figures indicate that Illinois' compliance remains low under the Way Forward Act's reporting requirements, reflecting strong adherence to state sanctuary policies.

A study published in Social Science Research in 2022 found that sanctuary jurisdictions have not experienced higher crime rates; instead, violent and property crime declined more in counties with sanctuary policies compared to non-sanctuary areas. A subsequent analysis submitted to Congress in 2023 also found that violent crime dropped by 17.9 per 100,000 annually following policy adoption. These data challenge claims that limiting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) cooperation increases crime.

Arellano Jr., a Republican representing Illinois' 37th Senate District since 2025, is a U.S. Army veteran, former Dixon mayor, and small-business owner. According to the Illinois General Assembly, he serves as Minority Spokesperson on Public Health and sits on committees for Veterans Affairs, Local Government, and State Government. His legislative agenda emphasizes local governance, healthcare reform, and veterans' support.