Cervantes responds to increased ICE activity in community

• Know Your Rights
• Immigration
• ICE

BRIGHTON PARK – Following the recent increased presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in his district, State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes (D-Chicago) released the following statement:

“Last week, I joined my colleagues, community leaders, advocacy organizations, and residents to draw attention to issues residents are facing in our neighborhoods due to increased ICE activity.

“No one should be kidnapped off the street when they are trying to make a living. Unfortunately, this was the reality for a local flower vendor, who has been a staple in our community. They were detained by ICE this week along with several other neighbors.

Read more …

Cervantes celebrates ruling upholding E-Verify law over federal challenge

• E-Verify
• Immigration

CHICAGO – As the lead sponsor of Illinois legislation intended to protect immigrant workers, State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes (D-Chicago) released the following statement following a judge’s dismissal of attempts from the federal administration to overturn this law, marking a massive win for Illinois immigrant advocates:

“This law helps ensure immigrant workers are not unfairly punished because they struggled to accurately complete the confusing, bureaucratic E-Verify paperwork, which is most commonly not in their first language. I fought for this legislation so immigrant workers would be afforded more grace and time to correct any errors, not lose their livelihood due to innocent mistakes. I am grateful the legal system has recognized the validity of this legislation, and has stood against the federal administration’s brazen attempts to steamroll states’ policies in an attempt to dehumanize our immigrant neighbors.

Read more …

Cervantes expands clarity around parole eligibility process for youth offenders in new law

SPRINGFIELD – Thanks to work by State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes, youth offenders will now have more clarity about when they may petition for parole.

“Young people who have done their time and worked to better themselves deserve to re-enter their communities when they are eligible so they can be better set up for a more successful future,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “This measure clears up confusion around the timeline young people are eligible for parole so they can begin a fresh start as soon as they are able to.”

Currently, young people who were under 21 at the time of committing a criminal offense can file a petition for a parole hearing up to three years before they are eligible for parole. If appropriately filed, the Prisoner Review Board sets a parole hearing date three years from the date it received the petition. However, sometimes a person is already eligible for a youthful parole hearing when they file a petition because they have already served the required number of years. This has caused some confusion when they file a petition over if the parole hearing can take place within a year, or if they have to wait three years for a hearing.

Read more …

Evidence-based funding coming to local schools with Cervantes support

• Evidence-Based Funding
• Schools

CHICAGO – State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes is proud to announce that several schools in the 1^st Senate District will receive investments thanks to the evidence-based funding model, in addition to the base funding that the state provides.

“Young people in our community have the potential to achieve great things—they just need the resources in their schools to reach it,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “Thanks to the evidence-based funding formula, students will be given more opportunities for success, and be able to access the high-quality education that all children deserve, regardless of their zip code.”

Since 2017, the Illinois Senate Democrats have utilized the evidence-based funding formula — an overhaul of the way the state funds K-12 education. By calculating the needs of individual school districts and basing state revenue on those needs, the formula makes school funding more equitable. The formula takes into account a district’s total enrollment, poverty rate and number of special education or English language learners, among other factors.

Read more …