Dupage Policy Journal

Ajay Gupta, a candidate for Illinois House District 41, expressed concerns over sanctuary city policies, stating they undermine immigration enforcement, incentivize illegal migration, and place burdens on local resources and safety. These remarks were made during an interview.

"No. Sanctuary cities for illegal aliens obstruct the application of federal immigration laws and more generally weaken the enforcement of national borders," said Gupta. "Incentivizing unchecked illegal migration and straining local resources and public safety."

Sanctuary city policies in Illinois are influenced by Chicago’s Welcoming City Ordinance and statewide laws that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. According to the Illinois Attorney General, the TRUST Act and the 2021 Way Forward Act prevent local police from assisting in civil immigration actions. Meanwhile, Chicago’s ordinance aims to protect undocumented residents from city agencies, fueling ongoing debate over public safety and local costs.

Chicago has reported declines in violent crime while also allocating significant resources to migrants. The Chicago Police Department's "2024 in Review" indicates that homicides and shootings have decreased citywide. Concurrently, WTTW reported that the city budgeted $150 million in 2024 for migrant care, highlighting how sanctuary policies intersect with both public safety and fiscal planning.

Illinois is experiencing both outmigration and new arrivals. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that the state lost residents to domestic outmigration each year from 2018 to 2023. Simultaneously, Axios noted that Chicago received more than 50,000 migrants over two years, straining shelter capacity and public resources. These demographic shifts complicate state and local planning for schools, housing, and services.

Gupta is a Naperville resident, immigrant, and attorney with two decades of experience in tax law, white-collar law, financial economics, and teaching. He was trained at Harvard (JD), NYU (LLM in Tax), Yale (MBA), and Stanford (MA). His career includes roles as a federal prosecutor, economic consultant, policy commentator, and adjunct law professor. Gupta is running for State Representative with goals to restore fiscal sanity by implementing spending caps tied to inflation and population growth, enacting pension reforms, and lowering taxes that he says are driving residents and employers out of Illinois.