Joining a growing list of states in crisis, this week a new State of Illinois budget was proposed that would slash services to immigrants by 74% from 2010, and cut refugee services by 69% next year.
These dramatic cuts would:
Leave thousands of immigrants without access to healthcare or hunger assistance.
Trap immigrants in low skill jobs without the ability access English education and the increase earning power that comes with it.
Deny hundreds of thousands of legal permanent residents help to become U.S. citizens and contribute back to the state.
Cut services for domestic violence victims.
Strand immigrant seniors alone and without help.
Force refugees from war torn nations to resettle across Illinois without support.
Until today every Governor since Governor Edgar has supported immigrant services as critical in assisting immigrants to contribute fully to Illinois.
These are services have become more critical than ever to the residents and economic growth of the state. As reported yesterday by the Chicago Tribune, numbers released by the US Census showed a dramatic 32.5 increase since 2000 in the Hispanic population in Illinois.
Join the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights in sending Gov Quinn a message by clicking below.
