Rauner signs immigration, automatic voter registration bills into law

Gov. Bruce Rauner Monday signed into law one bill that would protect immigrants who are in the country illegally from being detained solely because of their immigration status and another that would automatically register many Illinoisans to vote.

The Republican governor's approval of the controversial immigration legislation marks a victory for immigrant advocates and a defeat for the more conservative members of his party, who had lobbied against it.

Known as the Trust Act, the new law would prohibit state and local police in Illinois from arresting or detaining a person solely because of their immigration status, or based on a federal immigration detainer. The law would, however, allow law enforcement officials to hold someone if a judge has issued a warrant.

"This was not an easy bill to pass, let's be clear," Rauner said, praising the bill as "a very reasonable, decent outcome."

Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-bruce-rauner-immigration-voting-met-0829-20170828-story.html