Rock Island Today

Illinois is facing a humanitarian crisis due to the influx of undocumented immigrants coming to the state, overwhelming social service agencies and costing taxpayers billions of dollars. With more than 600,000 undocumented immigrants in Illinois, including over 3,500 living on the floor of police stations in Chicago, the situation has reached a critical point.

To address this crisis, Representative Dan Swanson and more than 30 other House Republicans have sponsored legislation to repeal the TRUST Act, which made Illinois a sanctuary state for undocumented immigrants. Representative Swanson emphasizes the urgency of taking action to discourage undocumented immigrants from coming to Illinois and overwhelming the state's resources.

In addition to the immigration crisis, Illinois is also grappling with failures in its child welfare system. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) has been under scrutiny for repeated failures to protect the children in its care. Governor Pritzker has proposed the creation of a new agency, the Early Childhood Program Agency, to inspect and regulate child care service environments and early intervention programs. However, there are concerns about whether this move will be enough to address the long-standing issues within the child welfare agency.

On a different note, harvest season in Illinois is coming to a close. Farmers in the state have been working tirelessly to bring in this year's corn and soybean harvest. According to the Illinois Crop Progress report, more than 70% of the corn crop and 80% of the soybean harvest have been completed. However, there are concerns about the dry conditions affecting pastureland, with 45% of Illinois pastureland reported to be in poor or very poor condition.

Finally, Representative Swanson had the pleasure of hosting sisters Traidan and Daci Hier of Kewanee as House Pages for a Day. These young leaders got the opportunity to explore the Capitol, meet legislators, and witness the legislative process in action. Traidan, a senior at Wethersfield High School, is actively involved in various extracurricular activities, including sports and community service. Daci, a sophomore at Augustana College, is pursuing a major in psychology and business administration and has excelled academically and in cheerleading.

In other news, Illinois and several other states have filed a lawsuit against Meta, claiming that its social platforms harm children's mental health. A controversial pipeline has also been canceled due to safety concerns and regulatory pushback. Additionally, Illinois tech hubs are set to focus on crop production and quantum computing, as announced by the White House. Rural communities in Illinois are struggling to afford ambulance services amid rising costs. Lastly, the clock is about to fall back as Daylight Savings Time comes to an end in 2023.

It is clear that Illinois is facing multiple challenges, from immigration and child welfare to agricultural concerns and technology developments. The proposed legislation and actions taken by the government aim to address these issues and move the state forward.

To learn more, click on this link: https://repswanson.com/2023/11/03/representative-dan-swansons-november-3-capitol-news-update/