Illinois Lawmaker Proposes 14-Foot Police-Protester Distance Rule
Illinois State Representative Jeff Keicher, R-Sycamore, has proposed House Bill 4142, aiming to maintain a 14-foot distance between citizens and law enforcement during official activities. This move comes amidst ongoing debates about police-protester interactions and immigration enforcement.
Keicher, serving as the Minority Conference Chairperson, introduced the bill to reduce tensions and protect law enforcement. The proposal follows recent incidents, including protests in Broadview, Illinois, where protesters chanted 'arrest ICE, shoot ICE', leading to arrests for illegal firearm possession.
President Donald Trump expressed concern about such incidents, stating that protesters getting too close to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers could lead to violence. Trump suggested that if protesters spit at officers, they should be met with force.
Meanwhile, Illinois statehouse Republicans are pushing for a measure to give police conducting official business some distance from protesters. This aligns with Keicher's proposal.
The Illinois TRUST Act, passed in 2019, prohibits local and state law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration officials enforcing civil detention orders. Iowa U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley stated that local officials under Governor Pritzker's jurisdiction refused to assist federal immigration officers during riots.
Governor Pritzker confirmed ongoing communication with Broadview law enforcement, offering assistance. The village of Broadview clarified that local police and first responders did not attack demonstrators, and that actions taken during protests were by federal ICE agents. Acting Director of ICE sent a letter to the Broadview mayor, stating that failure to help provide relief makes local officials 'a party to the obstruction of justice'. The proposed House Bill 4142 seeks to address these issues by establishing a minimum distance between bystanders and police officers performing official duties.
