Last Friday, the Illinois House of Representatives passed House Bill 1312, a sweeping civil rights and community-protection bill championed by the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus to safeguard immigrant families and defend due process in the face of escalating immigration enforcement actions. House Bill 1312 strengthens constitutional protections across Illinois by creating clear guardrails for civil immigration enforcement and ensuring that essential community spaces—hospitals, courthouses, universities, and licensed daycare centers—remain safe and accessible to all residents, regardless of immigration status. The bill further empowers individuals to seek justice when their constitutional rights, including those under the Fourth Amendment, are violated. The legislation creates new pathways for accountability, allowing individuals to bring civil actions against civil law enforcement who violate their constitutional rights while engaging in civil immigration enforcement. House Bill 1312 also establishes policies that ensure state-licensed facilities and public campuses respond lawfully and responsibly to immigration activities, while protecting the privacy and dignity of those they serve. House Bill 1312 now moves to the Governor’s desk.