Bailey, Wilhour visit southern border, call for repeal of Illinois sanctuary status

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — An Illinois House Republican and a GOP congressional candidate visited Eagle Pass, Texas Monday to call on the Biden administration to continue building the border wall.

Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City) and Darren Bailey also want Illinois cities to end their sanctuary status. Both men claim the border crisis has caused chaos for every Illinois community.

While members of Congress are trying to find a bipartisan solution for the immigration crisis, Wilhour and Bailey are placing blame on Democrats.

"President Biden's first order of business? It was to halt President Trump's border wall construction, effectively rolling out the red carpet for illegal immigration and fentanyl to pour across our border," Bailey said.

The former state lawmaker and gubernatorial candidate said the federal government should complete Trump's border wall as soon as possible.

Wilhour also argued that state lawmakers should repeal Illinois' sanctuary status. Since Wilhour knows the General Assembly's Democratic majority will never allow that to happen, he said local governments should take a stand for their residents.

"We can do it through ordinances," Wilhour said. "We can do it through resolutions, and we can do it through cheer will. We did it during COVID when the governor was trampling on all of our rights. Our locals stood up and did what was best for the people right there and it worked. It just takes people with courage, and you're going to see that all across the state of Illinois."

Gov. JB Pritzker understands that people are constantly showing up in Texas. However, the Democrat has consistently told reporters that this is a federal problem.

"It ought to be addressed on a national basis, not on a piecemeal basis and the governor of Texas causing problems state by state to the states that he chooses to send people to," Pritzker said.

NBC News Chicago reported that Pritzker met with Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle Monday to discuss solutions for the migrant crisis.

Meanwhile, Bailey stressed that he would strongly oppose the current bipartisan border proposal if he was a member of Congress.

"It's shameful that any Republican would join in any kind of talks putting this together," Bailey said. "What I do support and demand is a single action bill closing the border right now and finishing the wall. Let's protect our country."

Bailey's opponent, Rep. Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro), said Bailey is putting selfish opportunism and personal ambition ahead of the interests of Southern Illinois conservatives.

The U.S. Border Patrol union also endorsed the bipartisan border deal Monday, according to NBC News.