NW Illinois News

Governor J.B. Pritzker has signed House Bill 460 into law, making undocumented immigrants eligible for taxpayer-funded scholarships, grants, and stipends in Illinois. These individuals remain ineligible for federal aid.

Senate Republicans have criticized the new law, saying it diverts limited financial resources away from Illinois families to people who are not legally present in the country. They argue that the measure gives undocumented immigrants the same access to college aid as citizens, despite many state residents struggling with rising education costs.

They also note that Illinois already has some of the highest taxes in the nation and say this change means taxpayers will now subsidize college assistance for non-citizens.

State Senator Li Arellano Jr., a Republican elected to represent the 37th Senate District in 2025, voted against HB 460 earlier this year. He emphasized that while federal law bars non-citizens from receiving student aid, "HB 460 sidesteps those protections by using state dollars instead."

The legislation includes a provision allowing individuals who do not register for Selective Service—including transgender individuals—to receive aid. Senator Arellano raised concerns about this aspect of the bill on the Senate floor, stating it could weaken compliance with federal law and raise questions about fairness and national defense obligations.

"At a time when Illinois families are under financial strain," said Senator Arellano, "HB 460 prioritizes benefits for illegal immigrants and those who avoid Selective Service over the very citizens the state is supposed to serve."

Arellano was elected to replace former senator Win Stoller as representative of Illinois' 37th Senate District in 2025.