Illinois Releases Murderers and Rapists Back to the Streets—If They're Illegal
While you pay $3 billion in taxes to protect criminal aliens, American citizens arrested for shoplifting get the book thrown at them
In the state of Illinois, a startling legal discrepancy has emerged, creating what many are calling a two-tiered system of justice. While American citizens face the full weight of the state’s criminal justice process, a set of state laws provides a different path for non-citizens, even those arrested for serious crimes. This policy, enacted under the banner of protecting immigrant communities, has ignited a firestorm of controversy, raising critical questions about public safety, fairness, and the immense financial burden placed squarely on the shoulders of Illinois taxpayers.
At the heart of this issue is the Illinois Way Forward Act, signed into law by Governor J.B. Pritzker in 2021 . This legislation significantly strengthened the pre-existing Illinois TRUST Act, effectively barring state and local law enforcement from cooperating with federal U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. In practice, this means that when a non-citizen is arrested for a crime such as shoplifting, police are prohibited from honoring an ICE detainer—a federal request to hold the individual for potential deportation proceedings. Consequently, after being processed for the local crime, the individual is released back into the public, regardless of their immigration status.
This stands in stark contrast to the experience of an American citizen arrested for the same offense. While Illinois has also eliminated cash bail under the SAFE-T Act, citizens are still subject to the full judicial process, which can include pretrial detention if a judge deems them a flight risk or a threat to the community . The core of the controversy lies in this divergence: one group is granted a de facto
release from federal immigration consequences, while the other navigates the state’s justice system without such protections.
The Public Safety Fallout: A Look at the Numbers
The consequences of this policy have been stark, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The December 2025 report states that since January 2025, Illinois jurisdictions have released 1,768 criminal illegal aliens with active ICE detainers back into communities . The crimes these individuals were charged with or convicted of are not minor. They include:
The DHS report further highlights that as of its publication, there were 4,015 aliens with active ICE detainers still in the custody of Illinois jurisdictions for a shocking array of alleged crimes, including 51 homicides and 813 sexual predatory offenses . Federal officials have expressed outrage, with Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stating, “Governor Pritzker and his fellow Illinois sanctuary politicians are releasing murderers, pedophiles, and kidnappers back into our neighborhoods and putting American lives at risk” .
The Staggering Cost to Illinois Taxpayers
Beyond the significant public safety concerns, the financial implications for Illinois taxpayers are staggering. Data compiled by Illinois State Representative Tom Weber reveals that from July 2022 to the proposed 2025 fiscal year, the cost of providing services to undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers is estimated to be $2.84 billion . This figure, which does not even include education and other local service costs, is broken down as follows:
Illinois is one of only five states in the nation to provide Medicare-like benefits to undocumented immigrants at taxpayer expense. While hardworking Illinois families pay insurance premiums and co-pays for their own healthcare, non-citizens are receiving these services largely for free. This has led many to question the state’s priorities, arguing that these billions could be used to fund essential programs for citizens, including seniors and the state’s most vulnerable residents.
A Tale of Two Systems
The situation in Illinois presents a clear and troubling picture. On one hand, American citizens arrested for shoplifting face a justice system that can include detention and a permanent criminal record. On the other, non-citizens arrested for the same crime—and in many cases, far more serious ones—are shielded from federal immigration enforcement and released back into the public, with taxpayers footing a multi-billion-dollar bill for their healthcare and support services.
This is not a matter of being for or against immigration. It is a matter of fairness, public safety, and fiscal responsibility. When state laws create a system where citizens are treated more harshly than non-citizens who have committed crimes, and when taxpayers are forced to subsidize this disparity, it erodes trust in government and the rule of law. The people of Illinois deserve a system that prioritizes the safety and well-being of its legal residents, not one that creates a protected class of offenders at the taxpayer’s expense.
References
[1] Illinois General Assembly. (2021). Public Act 102-0234.
[2] Illinois Legal Aid Online. (2023 ). Cash bail changes - 2023 SAFE-T Act.
[4] Weber, T. (2024, April 9 ). The Growing Costs of Sanctuary State Policies on Illinois Taxpayers.