New Illinois law allows some non-citizens to become police officers

A recently signed law in Illinois would allow some non-citizens of the United States in the state to become police officers, something that’s currently forbidden under federal laws. House Bill 3751 successfully passed the Democratic-controlled state House and the state Senate before being signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, D-Ill., last week.

The law passed despite criticism from Republicans inside the state and out. One Illinois state senator called it a “fundamentally bad idea” to allow non-citizens to become police officers and arrest a citizen on U.S. soil. The Fraternal Order of Police warned the law would lead to a “crisis of confidence in law enforcement at a time when our officers need all the public confidence they can get.”

“In the state of Illinois, illegals can now become police officers. Yes, you heard that right. People who are breaking the law by their presence here can now arrest American citizens,” Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., tweeted after the bill was signed. “You know the other blue states are watching and getting ready to implement this idea as soon as they can! We either address this border crisis or allow our country to descend further into a Leftist dystopia.”

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The bill’s sponsor has defended it, calling it a “natural progression” of a federal government decision in 2021 to allow some undocumented immigrants to become health care workers and military members.

Under the new law, DACA recipients would also be eligible to become officers. Applicants would have to be legally authorized to work in the U.S. and are subject to all of the other requirements that any other applicant would be.

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