SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — An Illinois Senate Democrat has filed a bill to ban ICE agents from getting jobs with state or local police departments.

Sen. Laura Fine (D-Glenview) told reporters in Springfield Wednesday that ICE agents have caused violence across the country due to their lack of extensive training.

ICE agents received an average of 16 weeks of training before the Trump administration, but the training has been cut down to roughly 47 days.

Fine's legislation would ban law enforcement from hiring anyone serving as an ICE agent from January 2025 to January 2029.

"We want to rebuild our trust with law enforcement, and the risk of not rising to protect Illinois communities against ICE is too great," Fine said. "We cannot allow this overreach to continue."

Members of the Illinois Freedom Caucus strongly oppose the ideas. Rep. Chris Miller (R-Hindsboro) said anti-police rhetoric emboldens criminals and is a slap in the face to the men and women who protect our communities.

"Once again, the very people who take an oath to protect our communities from dangerous criminals are being attacked by the radical Democrats in Illinois," Miller said. "This bill is nothing more than a political stunt to undermine the duties of federal officers who risk their lives to protect American citizens. Pritzker started the dangerous rhetoric that is spreading hate against ICE and local police officers, and Democrats in the legislature are taking it to a new level." 

Senate Bill 2820 has six Democratic cosponsors, but the bill has not been assigned to a committee at this time. Senators will return to Springfield on Feb. 17.

The Department of Homeland Security told WAND News Illinois sanctuary politicians are falsely casting federal law enforcement as villians while ICE officers are being targeted, threatened and doxxed for doing their jobs. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said ICE is held to the highest professional standard and officers regularly receive ongoing training under President Donald Trump and Secretary Kristi Noem.

"As our brave law enforcement arrests and removes dangerous criminal illegal aliens, including murderers, rapists, and gang members from our communities, America can be proud of the professionalism our officers bring to the job day-in and day-out," McLaughlin said. "Instead of working with us, Illinois sanctuary politicians release violent criminals from their jails directly back into our communities to perpetuate more crimes and create more victims." 

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