Non-Citizens Can Now Become Cops In This State…

Non-Citizens Can Now Become Cops In This State...

(ConcernedPatriot.com) – Over the objections of the state’s largest police union, which labeled it a “potential crisis of confidence in law enforcement,” Illinois Governor Jay Robert Pritzker signed a bill allowing non-citizens to work as police officers into law.

On July 28, Mr. Pritzker signed HB3751 into law, making it possible for non-citizens who are lawfully able to work in the United States to apply to become police officers in Illinois with immediate effect.

“Foreign nationals who are legally permitted by federal law to work in the United States or any foreign national who “is an individual against whom immigration action has been deferred by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services under the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) process” but who is permitted to possess a firearm can now apply to become a police officer in Illinois,” according to the text of the bill.

Only U.S. citizens can work as police officers and deputy sheriffs under federal law. However, due to a lack of staff, legislation and legislative initiatives in several states have amended this.

Running Officers on Minimal Staff

Violent and criminalized Chicago is one of the Illinois cities with the greatest need for new hires.

According to interim Chicago police superintendent Fred Waller, “We’re dealing with a lot of people who are just emboldened and they’re shooting people recklessly in the daytime also.”

According to WGN9, in June, Mr. Waller stated, “I’m never going to say we can’t use more staff, more resources. We are truly exhausting our police. We frequently postpone days off.”

Along with many other police departments nationwide, the Chicago Police Department (CPD) is losing officers more quickly than it can hire competent candidates.

According to data, the CPD lost around 3,300 officers and employees between 2019 and 2022, while only 1,600 people were hired to replace open positions.

This resulted from a wave of resignations by officers disheartened by the anti-police protests and calls to “defund the police” in the wake of George Floyd’s death.

Potential Confidence Crisis In Law Enforcement

Despite declaring that it would accept new recruits “with open arms,” the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police, representing around 33,000 current duty and retired police officers in the state, would only do so when the applicants become citizens of the United States.

“Police officers’ primary responsibility is to uphold the law and guarantee that everyone under their jurisdiction abides by all relevant laws.

When the bill cleared the state senate and was awaiting Mr. Pritzker’s signature in early July, the group released a statement asking, “What message does this legislation convey when it empowers persons who do not have legal status to become the enforcers of our laws?”

“At a time when our police need all the public support they can muster, this may be a crisis of faith in law enforcement. Be assured that once their citizenship status is established, we will welcome these potential police recruits with open arms and look forward to the distinctive viewpoint they may provide to our profession,” the statement continued.

The measure was also opposed by certain state legislators. Republican state senator Chapin Rose stated during a discussion of the proposal that enabling non-citizens to detain people of the United States would constitute a “fundamental breach” of democracy.

In May, Mr. Rose declared, “It’s just a fundamentally poor notion. “It doesn’t matter that this person is from Australia; they shouldn’t be able to detain a citizen of the United States on American soil.”

Police Who Are Not Citizens In Other States

California passed a law earlier this year allowing non-citizens with legitimate work permits to work as police officers.

The San Diego Police Officers Association raised grave reservations about the proposal, much like its Illinois equivalent.

In July 2020, the San Diego Police Department faced a significant loss of over 500 officers, which is alarming.

Sergeant Jared Wilson, the President of the San Diego Police Officers Association, spoke on behalf of the organization and emphasized the need to allow more people to serve as police officers while maintaining the established standards and requirements.

The bill’s author, California State Senator Nancy Skinner, said it did little more than connect police officers with other professions, such as the military.

Senator Skinner stated, “As long as they have full legal license, full federal legal work authorization, practically every other profession—lawyers, doctors, even firefighters—can participate in California’s standards.”

CBS8 reported that Ms. Skinner stated in January that the restriction was only placed on sworn officers.

“Ironically, in the military, you could be an officer in the military and you could not be a peace officer in California. So that’s why we felt it was totally right to fix the rule,” she added.

The Law Enforcement Immigration Task Force found that several states have legislation similar to the one Illinois recently passed, allowing non-citizens to apply for police positions as long as they have valid work permission.

This covers, among other places, Maine, Louisiana, and California.

What are your thoughts?

Should non-citizens have the legal power to enforce laws on American citizens?

Copyright 2023. ConcernedPatriot.com

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