2025 Springfield Agenda Update

June 06, 2025

By: Latino Policy Forum Staff

Earlier this year, ahead of the Governor’s proposed budget, we shared our 2025 Springfield Agenda, which laid out all the education, immigration, and housing policies and investments that we would advocate for that were critical to the well-being of Latino families.

However, because of fiscal constraints, this legislative session proved particularly challenging and was made more complicated by threats from the federal government to cut critical funding and aggressively target immigrant communities. While we celebrated important wins like the passage of Safe Schools for All and Dual Language Expansion, we also faced significant setbacks and disappointments. We are especially concerned about the complete elimination of funding for the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults (HBIA) program, which will devastate the more than 32,000 people who rely on it for their health care needs, as well as cuts to the HOME Illinois initiative which will set back our goal of achieving “functional zero” homelessness in our state.

Illinois has a proud tradition of being the most protective in the nation for immigrants, which has made it possible for many generations of immigrant and Latino families, and the state as a whole, to thrive. And it is this very tradition that has made our state a target of the federal government. We firmly believe that capitulating to the tireless efforts to cut funding and criminalize immigrant communities will not make them stop. Because of this, we will continue to fight to protect these programs.

There were real setbacks this session, but this is not the end. This year’s outcomes are our roadmap forward, for next year and any opportunities that arise during the summer or veto session. We will never stop advocating for our community, because it’s more necessary than ever. The challenges we face only strengthen our resolve to continue fighting for the policies and investments that Latino and immigrant families need to thrive in Illinois.

Wins

Education

This session, advocates and leaders in the Illinois General Assembly championed and passed legislation that make our state’s early childhood and K-12 education system work better and more equitably for Latino families. Notably, two very important bills that make schools safer for immigrant families (HB3247, Safe Schools for All) and facilitate the adoption of programming that embraces our English Learner students, recognizing their language skills as an opportunity to enrich classrooms for all students and not a burden (HB3026, Dual Language Expansion).

We also saw some wins in mostly level investments for Early Childhood Education. In Higher Education, we are pleased to see increased funding for MAP grants. However, we are concerned about the significant shortfalls in support for our public four-year universities that we will discuss later.

Early Childhood Education and K-12 Legislation Passed

HB3247, Safe Schools for All: Legislation affirming every child’s right to an education under state law and prohibits barriers to that right on the basis of immigration status. Ready for Governor’s signature.
HB3026, Dual Language Expansion: Legislation to create guidance for school districts interested in establishing new dual language programs or expanding existing programs. Dual language programs teach curriculums in another language and English in the same classroom.
SB406, Establishes an Early Childhood Integrated Data System (ECIDS) to help improve early childhood services by giving families and providers better access to data, making the system simpler, better and more equitable across ECE services.
HB3439, Forum partners IAFC and Start Early worked together to pass legislation to make existing DCFS guidance on provisional hiring into law and extend the requirement for staff background checks from every three years to every five.

Early Childhood Education Investments

$90 million increase for Smart Start Workforce Grants to maintain existing program support as federal relief funds expire. This grant has been critical in increasing educator wages as a way to maintain workforce stability across the state.
$85 million increase for the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) at the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) to support growing caseloads and raise reimbursement rates for home-based providers.
$7.5 million in new operations funding for the Illinois Department of Early Childhood to continue building infrastructure as early learning programs transition in July 2026 to the new department.
A provider rate increase for the Early Intervention (EI) program to help stabilize the workforce.

K-12 Education Investments

A $307 million increase for Evidence-Based Funding formula, which prioritizes funding for schools that need it most. We applaud the Governor’s team for increasing equitable funding in a time of tremendous budget constraint. Continued advocacy for equitable funding will be needed in the years to come with proposed federal cuts.
$30 million for Teacher Vacancy Grants (TVGG) to support targeted teacher pipeline efforts. While this is a $15M reduction in the third and final year of the pilot, we laud the Governor for prioritizing teacher recruitment and retention initiatives.

Higher Education Legislation Passed

HB3522, Direct Admission: Provides that, beginning with the 2027-2028 academic year, the Board of Higher Education, in collaboration with the Illinois Community College Board, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, and the State Board of Education, shall establish and administer a direct admission program. Ready for the Governor’s signature.
SB2039, IBHE Data Dashboard Report: In collaboration with the Illinois Community College Board and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, shall prepare and release a State Data Dashboard Report and Data Dashboard Report for each public institution of higher education and each private college and university in the State. Ready for the Governor’s signature.
SB1958, Transfer Reform: In provisions concerning community college and State university transfer articulation agreements, provides that community colleges and State universities are encouraged to enter into agreements whereby community college students may indicate their transfer destination of choice on their application to the community college. Ready for the Governor’s signature.
HB3385, Higher Education Mental Health Action: Provides that each public college or university shall provide at least three licensed mental health professionals or, if the benchmark ratio falls under three, at least the number of licensed mental health professionals. Ready for the Governor’s signature.

Higher Education Investments

$10 million increase to the Monetary Assistance Program. We thank the General Assembly for its continued commitment to college affordability. However, given recent federal actions, the allocated amount falls short of what is needed to make meaningful improvements in college affordability for Latino students. We will continue to advocate for increased funding to support our students’ persistence and graduation.
We commend the state for increasing investments in our community colleges and public universities. However, the respective increases of 1.5% for community colleges and 1% for public four-year institutions fall short of what these institutions need to serve Latino students effectively and support all students through college completion, as well as continue expanding programming and hiring the necessary faculty and staff to meet student needs. Given the anticipated federal cuts to public institutions of higher education, we will continue to advocate for increased funding for our community colleges and public universities to ensure a healthy higher education ecosystem in Illinois.
$8 million for the Minority Teachers of Illinois Scholarship, which is awarded to minority students pursuing post-secondary degrees in education.  In light of a lawsuit challenging this scholarship, we will continue to monitor SB1331 and changes that may evolve.

Immigration

Although there were significant setbacks for immigrant protections and support, one positive development was the passage of HB2346, which will be an important lifeline for Cook County residents in deportation proceedings.

The FY26 state budget also allocated small increases to support immigrants in establishing and safeguarding themselves and their families. We are also heartened to see increases for critical legal resources and education, and facilitate access to legal immigrant services. Our immigrant families and neighbors make innumerable contributions to our communities; it is incumbent on us to provide support that makes it possible for families to stay together and thrive.

Immigrant Legislation Passed

HB2436, the bill to expand Cook County Public Defender jurisdiction, allowing the office to represent Cook County residents in deportation proceedings regardless of where they are detained. This is a win for immigrants and a win for due process for all, especially at a time when immigrants are being detained in other states and their constitutional rights are under attack.

Immigrant Services Investments

$2 million increase for Immigrant Integration Services. We are pleased to see that the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) secured an additional $2 million in funding to support the New Americans Initiative and Immigrant Family Resource Program for a total of $40 million. ICIRR’s partner organizations have consistently and successfully facilitated the long-term integration of immigrant families through these programs across the state.  
$10 million increase for Illinois Access to Justice (A2J). This falls $15 million short of what was requested. However, we are grateful for the additional funding so that The Resurrection Project and A2J partners can continue providing legal education, expand its geographical reach, and reach more people in need. 
Slight increase ($600,000) to the Illinois Legal Support Program (ILSP). Tens of thousands of migrants who have come to Illinois over the last three years are now at risk of deportation due to recent Supreme Court rulings allowing for the termination of TPS and humanitarian parole. This funding is critical as migrants seek alternative forms of relief and deportation defense.
Continued investments for Illinois Welcoming Centers (IWCs). This will help maintain the State’s capacity to provide culturally and linguistically responsive services to support the integration of new and long-term immigrants. The Forum will continue to advocate for additional investments to further expand the model across parts of the State with limited access to these services.

Housing

Investments in housing are important for Latinos, who represent approximately 19% of the state’s population, and for whom housing challenges are most evident in the elevated rates of doubling-up and growing instances of sheltered and unsheltered homelessness. Although there were cuts to the most important housing program in the state, the HOME Illinois initiative, the final FY26 budget included some modest increments in other line items, namely for direct services, housing, and homelessness prevention.

Housing and Homelessness Prevention Investments

$42 million for the Emergency and Transitional Housing (ETH) Program. This funding will help expand and strengthen services for individuals and families facing homelessness, providing crucial short-term shelter and transitional housing for those in need. 
$4.7 million, a $1 million increase, to expand the Shelter Diversion Program that will help people avoid shelters through alternative housing solutions.  
$16.2 million for the Homelessness Prevention Program to provide more resources for at-risk households and keep families and individuals housed before they face homelessness.  
$6 million for Supportive Housing Programs. This increase can help strengthen various supportive housing initiatives to ensure individuals and families experiencing homelessness have the long-term support they need.  
$9 million in new funding for the One System Initiative to unify the existing new arrival shelter system with current legacy shelters with the aim to serve all unhoused Chicagoans.

Ongoing Advocacy Efforts

This was a challenging budget year and not all the bills and funding we advocated for came to pass this session. However, this is not the end, the Latino Policy Forum will join partners in ongoing efforts to pass and adequately fund programs that make a four-year degree more accessible and affordable, protect and support immigrants and their families, and resource the initiatives that help those in our community that are vulnerable stay off the streets.

Higher Education

SB13 (HB1581), Adequate and Equitable Public University Funding Act
Although the bill did not pass this session, we are encouraged that it helped highlight the chronic underinvestment in Illinois’ public four-year universities and underscored the urgent need for equitable funding. We want to thank the higher education advocates, students, faculty, four-year universities, and legislators who supported this effort. We will continue to advocate for adequate and equitable funding for our public four-year universities.

HB3717, Community College Baccalaureate
Proposed that community colleges offer four-year baccalaureate degrees based on local workforce needs that are responsive to key economic sectors in Illinois. While this did not pass, the Forum lauds efforts to expand affordable education in Illinois through various pathways, primarily since Latino students are heavily concentrated at two-year universities.

Immigration

Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults (HBIA) Program
Despite the tireless work and advocacy of our partners at Healthy Illinois and allies, the HBIA program did not get funded in the FY26 budget. We are deeply concerned as this will have a devastating impact on the estimated 32,000+ people who rely on the program for their health care needs. The Forum will continue to support advocates in their fight to preserve Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors (HBIS) and other life-saving programs.

Child Tax Credit (CTC)
This year’s budget did not strengthen the state CTC. This cost-neutral expansion to the CTC would have protected over 180,000 households in Illinois. By removing federal eligibility standards, families would have been able to access the full benefit, regardless of work hours or education status. This is especially important given that the federal government is threatening to remove hundreds of thousands of children from the federal CTC. We will continue to support partners like the Economic Security Illinois in their efforts to ensure that families receive the full support they deserve.

Victims of Trafficking, Torture, and Other Crimes (VTTC) Program
Partial restoration of the VTTC program was included in this year’s budget after being paused since October 2024. However, asylum applicants without derivative family members and people preparing to file their applications for asylum and humanitarian visas (T and U) will remain ineligible for VTTC food and cash assistance. We support partners like the Shriver Center on Poverty Law in their efforts to restore the program to its original eligibility criteria, in collaboration with IDHS and other relevant agencies, as this program is a critical lifeline for many.

Housing

HOME Illinois Initiatives
The FY26 final budget cut funding for HOME Illinois overall by a staggering $26 million. Led by partner Housing Action Illinois, the Forum, along with over 200 organizations and state-funded emergency shelter providers urged the Governor and Illinois General Assembly to expand funding to these critical initiatives to help reach functional zero homelessness across the state.