By Sarah Roebuck
Police1
CHICAGO — Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill in late July that allows non-U.S. citizens to apply to become police officers, WFLD reports.
The bill, HB 3751, states that “individuals who are not citizens, but are legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law” will be allowed to apply for jobs with police departments beginning on Jan. 1, 2024.
Federal law generally bars non-citizens from carrying guns unless it’s for “official use,” meaning police officers who are not U.S. citizens would not be allowed to carry the weapons off-duty, according to a spokesperson for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Obama-era DACA program provides temporary work permits and protection from deportation for eligible individuals brought to the country without authorization as children.
Currently, there are more than 30,000 DACA recipients living and working in Illinois, while at the same time unprecedented officer shortages statewide.