On Monday, Illinois looked poised to make it easier for immigrants to change their name without fearing that their personal information could be used against them.
A bill passed by the state Senate scraps the need for those seeking a name change to have to announce the move in a local newspaper, which was affecting privacy and safety, the bill's sponsor said.
Why It Matters
While not specifically targeted at immigrants, the bill allows anyone living in Illinois for at least three months to change their name without having to publicly declare it. This drew criticism that migrants could change their name to avoid detection by authorities soon after arrival in the country.
Illinois has welcomed several thousand immigrants since early 2022, when the border crisis began in earnest. New arrivals were bused from the southwest border to Chicago, among other cities.
What To Know
House Bill 5164 (HB5164) was put forward by Democrat state Senator Ram Villivalam. He said it would help domestic violence victims, or those seeking to affirm their gender identity, from having to bear the burden of paying for a public declaration of their new name.
"Additionally, by requiring residents to publish their name change, it relinquishes the privacy of such individuals and can be harmful to their safety or well-being," Villivalam said in a press release Monday.
The bill cuts the residency requirement for a name change from six to three months, while conditions prevent those required to register as a sex offender, a violent offender, murderer or arsonist across the U.S. from being allowed to change their name.
As for keeping track of name changes, the legislation states that once a motion is granted, police and court records must be updated so authorities can track down individuals if necessary.
The bill's Senate passage on Sunday was criticized by Republican members of the state General Assembly, who said holding a weekend session in the middle of a snowstorm was a way to get a law passed without much scrutiny.
What People Are Saying
Ram Villivalan said in a press release: "By eliminating the requirement to publish a name change with a local newspaper, we are ensuring that our residents, such as domestic violence survivors, are safe and supported when seeking such change."
GOP state Senator Andrew Chesney wrote on Facebook: "With the passage of this law, illegal immigrants who have committed serious crimes can simply change their names, making it difficult for law enforcement or immigration officials to track them down."
ACLU of Illinois spokesman Ed Yohnka told Newsweek: "Despite some false claims around immigration, the legislation really assists more people to access the name change process in Illinois. Lifting the requirement for expensive and expansive publication in a newspaper helps further protect these individuals [from] harassment and abuse.
"It also is worth noting that anyone who does change their name using this new process will still be identifiable through their former identity. Indeed, the Illinois State Police is notified of the name change in the very same way they would if the process was public," Yohnka said.
What's Next
After the bill passed the state Senate Sunday in a 33-16 vote, it was sent back to the House on Monday for approval. After that, it goes to Governor JB Pritzker's desk to be signed into law.
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