Starting in 2024, homeowners in Illinois will be required to rent or sell to illegal migrants. Likewise, they may not advertise or publish any information stating that they will not rent to those who do not have legal immigration status. This comes as part of a law signed by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, which will consider migrants as protected persons.
Under the policy, property owners could face civil rights lawsuits if they refuse to sell or rent their property to an illegal immigrant. The new law explicitly prohibits owners from refusing to participate in a transaction, altering the terms of the contract, refusing to negotiate or publishing advertisements that are deemed discriminatory.
"Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that it is a civil rights violation, because of immigration status, to: refuse to engage in a real estate transaction or otherwise make unavailable or deny real property; alter the terms, conditions, or privileges of a real estate transaction; refuse to receive or fail to transmit a bona fide offer in a real estate transaction from a person; refuse to negotiate a real estate transaction," reads Senate Bill 1817.
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A bill from Democratic Sen. Ann Gillespie
Senator Ann Gillespie, the bill's sponsor, said the intention is to defend illegal migrants from what she considers "discrimination." She maintained that, in her opinion, the measure will promote "equity." "My bill adding immigration status as a protected class under the Illinois Human Rights Act was signed into law today, making it illegal to discriminate against someone based on their immigration status when renting or selling property. Someone's background should not disqualify them from buying or renting property."
My bill adding immigration status as a protected class under the Illinois Human Rights Act was signed into law today, making it illegal to discriminate against someone based on their immigration status when renting or selling property. Read more ➡️ https://t.co/1gtoBGT2Kk pic.twitter.com/RZJTjFnUzt
— Senator Ann Gillespie (@sengillespie) June 30, 2023
The Democratic senator's office also explained that the intention is that the owners cannot make decisions considering whether the person with whom they are negotiating is a migrant. "Property owners and sellers cannot refuse to rent or sell, receive or transmit offers, or negotiate the terms of a deal with someone based on their immigration status," Gillespie's office told The Epoch Times.
Migration and the rent increase
Increased migration in the United States has an impact on housing prices and demand. A study conducted by Housing Economics and published by ElSevier showed how major cities are affected. "Given the recent and projected contributions of immigrants to U.S. population growth, housing demand from new immigrants, coupled with a shrinking supply of housing in metropolitan areas (where immigrants tend to settle), would be expected to drive up rents and prices."
Meanwhile, Republican senators such as J.D. Vance warned earlier this year about the situation. Vance argued that the housing problem and illegal migration is something that must be addressed because it is killing the American dream for citizens. "Think about what this does for housing prices when you have to house 10 million people who shouldn't be here, which drives up housing costs when interest rates are already skyrocketing," Vance said in a conversation with Breitbart News.
