NEWS

Dear friend,

For those of you who do not know me, my name is Graciela Guzmán, and I am your new State Senator of the 20th District. I officially became your new Senator on Jan. 8. I apologize for not beginning my tenure with a formal introduction and a summary of my legislative agenda, but unfortunately, current events take precedence and demand my immediate action so we can keep our community safe.

Chicago is a sanctuary city–which means immigrants, documented and undocumented, are protected and welcomed here. I am proud of the commitment of the city and state to maintaining our status as a welcoming, safe space for our immigrant and undocumented neighbors, despite recent efforts to change this. However, it is still important to be aware of the rights you are afforded, and how you can protect yourself from detainment.

To be frank, it is an unbelievably scary time for our city. Now more than ever, we need to come together in solidarity with each other, because an attack on our immigrant neighbors is an attack on all of us. Know that I will do all I can to protect my immigrant neighbors, and take solace in the knowledge that the rest of your community is with you, too.

On that note, I would like to dedicate this special newsletter to sharing information from yesterday’s Know Your Rights and ICE Watch Training hosted by the Northwest Side Progressives where I joined Congresswoman Delia Ramirez, State Senators Karina Villa and Omar Aquino, State Representatives Will Guzzardi and Lilian Jímenez, Cook County Commissioner Anthony Quezada, and Alderpeople Carlos Rosa, Jessie Fuentes, Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez, and Ruth Cruz.

At a Northwest Side Debrief event on November 16, 2024, over 400 neighbors committed to defending our communities from attacks on our neighbors, and we have since established a Deportation Defense Working Group that began meeting in December to organize and plan in preparation for the incoming administration’s plans to begin deportations in our communities possibly as soon as next week.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Graciela Guzmán released the following statement in response to the Senate’s passage of the Fiscal Year 2027 spending plan in Springfield:

“This plan represents the start of a conversation, not the end. The revenue package contains real reform, taxing massive tech corporations while they rake in billions of profit on our data. This is the first step on the path to truly equitable revenue reform. At a time when Illinoisans are struggling to pay for groceries, health care costs and rent, we should be bold and creative in finding ways to support the programs that are vital to keep our communities whole. The rich have taken so much of our economy for themselves and left working people behind to fight for the scraps. Our budget should reflect the urgent need our constituents are facing and move with action, but sadly this proposal is entirely inadequate to tackle the challenges on affordability and sticks with the bare minimum status quo.”

“In this moment, Illinois places a massive burden on working class people while giving handouts to the richest in our state and corporations. We have chosen to bind ourselves to one of the most regressive tax codes in the country. This path is unsustainable in the long term – especially now that the federal government is cutting essential services. Making the rich pay their fair share is the least we can do to build up Illinois as a beacon of equity and civil liberties.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Graciela Guzmán’s bill to create new protections for renters and prospective renters passed the Senate Sunday.

“When we talk about housing, we are not just talking about buildings or leases, we are talking about safety,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “We are talking about dignity. We are talking about whether people have a real chance to rebuild their lives.”

House Bill 4377 combines several impactful measures to protect tenants in Illinois. First, the measure would prohibit federal housing assistance providers from establishing or implementing any rules, policies or procedures that impose time limits or work requirements as a condition of initial or continued eligibility for any rent subsidy or assistance provided to qualifying tenants. This portion of the bill was spearheaded by State Senator Ram Villivalam.

“By implementing protections against rigid work requirements, we are re-affirming basic human rights and ensuring vulnerable Illinoisans don’t have to work unsustainable hours just to have a roof over their head,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago).

In addition, a measure introduced by State Senator Steve Stadelman – which became part of this bill – would prevent landlords from requiring tenants to pay fees to a broker, collect payment at the direction of a landlord and ensures the individual who hires the broker is responsible for the cost.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Graciela Guzmán’s bill to support survivors and strengthen higher education requirements when addressing sexual violence passed the Senate Friday.

“The ways students experience harassment and abuse have changed since 2015,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “Harm can happen through repeated unwelcome electronic communications, sexually explicit material being sent or weaponized, or the actual or threatened sharing of private or digitally altered sexual images without consent. Our law has to recognize the ways students are being harmed now.”

Guzmán’s bill would add definitions for sexual harassment and digital sexual harassment, requiring higher education policy regarding gender-based violence to address these major issues. The bill would provide guidance and gives examples of supportive measures, while ensuring that a particular course of study or major cannot be a reason to deny such measures. If an institution willfully fails to act in accordance with the policy, this legislation would create a civil cause of action, thus providing a mechanism of enforcement for survivor rights.

In addition to survivors of sexual violence, survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking and sexual harassment are all entitled to privacy protections when they meet with a campus confidential advisor. The legislation would clarify that supportive and protective measures are available as long as needed by a survivor regardless of whether a complaint is filed.