OP-ED: Time to reinforce Illinois as welcoming state to Muslims, other immigrant communities
By IRSHAD KHAN
Chicago
Irshad Khan
A PhD student was taken off the streets by plain-clothed ICE officers, with no reason given. She had recently written an op-ed exercising her free speech rights.
A man was mistakenly deported, with no plans for his return to our country – built on the tenets of the land of the free, but for too many, the dream has become a nightmare.
At 18 years old, a young woman was convicted of a crime. Nearly two decades later, now with three children, the woman was denied housing in Cook County because of her conviction – even though the crime is eligible to be wiped from her record. The process is so difficult, it continues to hang over her head and hold her family back.
Across Illinois, the Muslim community and other immigrant communities made up of hard-working people devoted to the principles of peace, understanding, and embracing our differences are being torn apart. We face marginalization and persecution simply because of who we are, what we look like, and what we believe in.
We demand better, and we brought that message to the Illinois State Capitol on April 9 for the 17th Illinois Muslim Action Day. Several dozen advocates, including high school students, met with state legislators to support a package of priorities aimed at reinforcing Illinois as a welcoming state for the hundreds of thousands of people here who believe deeply in this country’s long-running commitment to human rights and basic human dignity.
We have asked legislators to support a resolution that strengthens our welcoming state policies, by allowing everyone to practice their religious beliefs without fear or anxiety in places of business and schools.
We want to strengthen Illinois’ TRUST Act through House Bill 2706 and Senate Bill 2305. Federal immigration agents should not use local law enforcement as weapons against innocent people.
The Clean Slate Illinois initiative will make it easier and more attainable for individuals to seal criminal records for certain offenses. This will create smoother pathways to jobs, safe housing, education and the better life we all deserve.
Our laws should make it easier for people to support Palestinian rights peacefully. House Bill 2723 – the Human Rights Advocacy Protection Act – takes an important step forward for free speech rights.
We also join the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) in its call for $40 million to provide a safety net for immigrant communities: language-accessible case management, aid for program application, targeted cash relief and more support.
We were warmly greeted in Springfield by many legislators and top elected officials who share our grave concerns about the divisions tearing communities apart. Gov. JB Pritzker and our allies stand strong with us against a federal administration that disrupts more people’s lives every day.
Our plea is for grace. Embrace the understanding that our differences don’t define us, but they can unite us in a spirit of collaboration and shared values. We want to build bridges and shape a future where everyone’s voice can be heard, and everyone’s life and perspective can be valued.
In the face of these challenging times that weaken our democracy, we urge you to join us –Illinoisans and Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs – to strengthen our state’s welcoming policies and unite behind the human experience that can bring all of us together.
Irshad Khan of Chicago is former chairman of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago, and the lead organizer of Illinois Muslim Action Day.
