![RichMiller Rich Miller](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/RichMiller-1.jpg)
Rich Miller
GOP wrong on new cop law
.
By Rich Miller
Republican U.S. Rep. Mary Miller helped ignite a firestorm over the weekend of July 29 when she expressed her disgust on social media with Gov. JB Pritzker.
Miller (no relation) claimed on Twitter that Pritzker had signed a bill late on a Friday afternoon “to allow illegal immigrants to become police officers, giving non-citizens the power to arrest citizens in our state.”
Miller continued by claiming: “No sane state would allow foreign nationals to arrest their citizens, this is madness!” Her more well-known Republican colleague, Lauren Boebert, amplified the issue the next day and Fox News picked up the ball and ran with it. The rest of the right-wing media soon followed, and a typical feeding frenzy ensued.
![GOP wrong on new cop law 1 RichMiller 1](https://www.southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/RichMiller-1.jpg)
Rich Miller
Trouble is, Rep. Miller’s own husband, State Rep. Chris Miller (R-Oakland) (also no relation), voted “Yes” on the House’s initial version of the bill, which would have allowed non-citizens to become police officers.
Oops.
House Bill 3751 cleared the House on a unanimous roll call on March 24. It specifically struck out an existing state law that prohibited sheriffs and law enforcement from employing non-citizens as law enforcement officers. The bill then added language allowing those non-citizens who are “legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law,” and who received federal approval to “obtain, carry, or purchase or otherwise possess a firearm,” to become law enforcement officers.
The bill was supported by various groups, including the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police, and passed 101-0. One of the bill’s chief co-sponsors was Rep. John Cabello (R-Machesney Park), a Donald Trump-supporting police officer.
After the bill arrived in the Senate, its sponsor added an amendment allowing people, “against whom immigration action has been deferred by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services under the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) process,” to also become police officers.
Sen. Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorne Woods), the former Senate Republican Leader, voted for that version, but all other Senate Republicans opposed the bill as amended, as did two Democrats, Sens. Patrick Joyce (D-Reddick) and Willie Preston (D-Chicago).
Most all House Republicans stood firm during their chamber’s motion to concur with the new Senate amendment, including House Republican Leader Tony McCombie. Not one member of McCombie’s leadership team voted against the motion, which passed 100-7. However seven of the eight members of the House’s self-declared “Freedom Caucus” voted against it, including Rep. Miller. The eighth member, Rep. David Friess (R-Red Bud) had an excused absence.
Gov. Pritzker eventually pointed out on Twitter that House members, “including those who are now complaining about it,” had voted for the bill before the Senate Republicans “started spreading lies.”
State Rep. Miller responded to the governor online by claiming his own vote against “legislation allowing non-citizens to arrest actual citizens,” paled in comparison to Pritzker’s “blatantly attacking the Consitional [sic] right of honest citizens to bear arms.”
But, again, State Rep. Miller did indeed vote to allow “non-citizens to arrest actual citizens.” His spouse, the congressperson, tweeted at Pritzker the same day that “Giving foreign nationals the power to arrest US citizens in Illinois is not ‘common sense.’” Ms. Miller should have maybe had a talk with her husband last spring.
As you might imagine, several House Republicans are eager for this particular news cycle to end. It’s enraging the base, and there’s some worry it could lead to some Republican primary challenges.
But Leader McCombie went on southern Illinois radio station WJPF last week to defend her fellow Republicans who voted for the bill.
“Every single [House] Republican, all 40 of us, voted for this bill,” McCombie told host Tom Miller (also no relation). “And that is because what the media is saying is not accurate. You can’t have 40 Republicans voting for a bill that is going to have undocumented illegal immigrants become a police officer. That is not gonna happen.” She also rightly pointed out that the asylum-seeking migrants pouring into Illinois won’t qualify, either, because they’re not allowed to work.
McCombie blamed Democrats for creating an environment forcing people out of policing as a career. This bill, she said, could help alleviate that problem. She stressed that only people who could be approved by the federal government to possess and carry a firearm would qualify.
“It is a conditional step to support law enforcement,” McCombie said. “It is not, it is not a license to give illegal immigrants, undocumented folks who are coming across our borders illegally, the ability to become law enforcement. Hard stop.”
Rich Miller also publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and CapitolFax.com.
Local News
![PeggyZabicki Peggy Zabicki](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/PeggyZabicki-1024x768.jpg)
Love can bloom in June
Spread the love. By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . Happy June, everyone! The month of June used to be the most popular month to get married. Surprisingly, the month with the most weddings nowadays is October. According to industry professionals, 14.9% of weddings in the…
![MaryStanek Mary Stanek](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/MaryStanek-768x1024.jpg)
Enjoy summer while we have it
Spread the love. . By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 517-7796 . Congratulations to all who have celebrated with spring festivities. They are winding down now, the Communions, Confirmations and now graduations. Thoughts turn to summer vacations and hot dogs on the grill. It…
![kathyheadley2021 Kathy Headley](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/kathyheadley2021-869x1024.jpg)
Senior citizen golf tourney is here
Spread the love. Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 . It is almost time for the 41st Senior Amateur Golf Championship at Marquette Park, which will take place on Saturday and Sunday, June 22 and 23, this year. Registration is now open at marquettepark.cpdgolf.com/events or…
![MtC Prov 2 Providence's Enzo Infelise dives into third for an RBI triple with Pancho Vazquez ready to field the throw. Photo by Xavier Sanchez](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/MtC-Prov-2-1024x683.jpg)
Baseball | Providence edges Mount Carmel in extras to punch ticket to state
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent After a stirring upset of unbeaten Nazareth to win the Class 4A Reavis Sectional championship, Mount Carmel’s bid for a trip to the state finals ended with a 3-2 extra-inning loss to Providence in the supersectional round. Celtics shortstop Jackson Smith’s single off Matt Murphy drove in Eddie Olszta…
![MtC-Naz play at plate MtC-Naz play at plate](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/MtC-Naz-play-at-plate-scaled-e1717478271542-1024x646.jpg)
Baseball Class 4A Sectionals | Third straight state title eludes history-making Nazareth
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent After back-to-back Class 3A state titles in 2022 and 2023, Nazareth jumped to Class 4A this season and did not miss a beat. The Roadrunners cruised to 37 straight victories heading into their sectional championship matchup with Mount Carmel. The Caravan scored two late runs in a tight contest…
![MtC bsball Sect trophy MtC bsball Sect trophy](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/MtC-bsball-Sect-trophy-1024x683.jpg)
Mount Carmel dethrones unbeaten, two-time defending champ Nazareth for sectional title
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Mount Carmel came into its Class 4A sectional matchup against Nazareth viewed as the underdog. The favored Roadrunners did, after all, enter the game 37-0 and were gunning for a third consecutive state championship. The Caravan have respect for the Roadrunners, but they would never call themselves an underdog;…
![MARIST JUBY Marist's Nathen Toth (3) was named the boys volleyball state finals MVP by the Illiniois Volleyball Coaches Association. File photo](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/MARIST-JUBY-scaled-e1718139510790-877x1024.jpg)
Marist tops York for its fourth boys volleyball state title
Spread the loveBy Randy Whalen Correspondent What does it take to make a state champion? “We had guys that I’ve been hard on for nine months,” Marist boys volleyball coach Jordan Vidovic said. “All for a five-point stretch. “None of them ran away from the challenge.” How big were some of those five-point stretches? The…
Neighbors
![CRRNH_NiegoStory_062624 Thanks to Niego Real Estate, block after block in Clearing and Garfield Ridge are decked out each year in red, white and blue. Residents are asked to volunteer to pick up flags and decorate their whole block—or even additional blocks. --Supplied photo](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/CRRNH_NiegoStory_062624-768x1024.jpg)
Niego Real Estate salutes America again
Spread the love. Popular flag program underway . By Tim Hadac Clearing and Garfield Ridge residents who want to decorate their blocks in red, white and blue this Independence Day are encouraged to contact Niego Real Estate and reserve a supply of U.S. flags at no charge. The popular program to promote patriotism and community…
![dvn 6-24-24 Alan_Morales Alan Morales](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/dvn-6-24-24-Alan_Morales.jpg)
Lyons Mental Health Commission pulls LeaderShop funding
Spread the loveExecutive director accused of harassment From staff reports The local nonprofit service community was jolted when nearly $300,000 in mental health funds was withdrawn by a Lyons Township agency from the Western Springs LeaderShop, a social service agency that has provided youth programs for nearly 40 years. The Lyons Township Mental Health Commission…
![SRP-IMAGE-Logo SRP-IMAGE-Logo](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/SRP-IMAGE-Logo-1024x560.png)
Mount Carmel, Marist and Oak Lawn among 84 teams at Riverside-Brookfield shootout
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent High school boys basketball does not stop in March and pick back up in late autumn. For many players, playing hoops is a year-round commitment. AAU ball is a big reason for, that there are summer camps, shootouts or other events at most schools during the summer. The…
![PeggyZabicki Peggy Zabicki](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/PeggyZabicki-1024x768.jpg)
Dog lovers to celebrate ‘Fur of July’
Spread the love. By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . I’m starting out with some fun news. The West Lawn Dog Park Advisory Council will be hosting a Fur of July Pet Parade on Saturday, June 29 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at West Lawn…
![MaryStanek Mary Stanek](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/MaryStanek-768x1024.jpg)
Fourth of July not happy for everyone
Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 517-7796 . Happy Fourth of July. Cannot believe I am already saying that, time sure goes. Hope it is safe and quiet for everyone and especially all of our house pets. For us its shutting…
![kathyheadley2021 Kathy Headley](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/kathyheadley2021-869x1024.jpg)
St. Rita’s transformation is worth a look
Spread the love. Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 . St. Rita of Cascia Church, 63rd and Fairfield, continues to undergo its transformation from the sunflowery/harvest golds and browns of the 1960s and 1970s to the calming pastels of the 2000s. Since the basilica-style church…
![NAEHER Alyssa Naeher clears a ball at North Carolina on June 23 in a 3-1 Red Stars loss. IMAGN photo](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/NAEHER-1024x712.jpg)
Loss to Courage brings Red Stars’ winless streak to five games
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Chicago Red Stars historic start to the season is all but forgotten. In the last five matches, the Red Stars have failed to win, with the latest setback being a 3-1 loss on the road to North Carolina on June 23 in an NWSL battle. The Red Stars…
![SRP-IMAGE-Logo SRP-IMAGE-Logo](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/SRP-IMAGE-Logo-1024x560.png)
Summer League Basketball | Illinois powers compete at Riverside-Brookfield Shootout
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent School’s out for the summer, but high school athletes across Illinois are remaining active during the summer sports season. This includes basketball players, who can be found at camps, open gyms, camps and even weekend tournaments. Among the more high profile hoops action in the area was the Riverside-Brookfield…
![Dana RETTKE Dana Rettke, a graduate of Riverside-Brookfield High School, will play on the U.S. women's volleyball team at the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Paris.](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/RETTKE.jpg)
Dana Rettke and Ryan Murphy heading to Paris Summer Games
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Area fans of the Summer Olympics will have extra reasons to cheer athletes from the United States in the upcoming Paris Games. Dana Rettke of Riverside is a member of the U.S. women’s volleyball team and Palos Heights native Ryan Murphy will represent the country in swimming. Rettke, a…