The Access to Religious Ministry Act (HB 4613), ensures access of religious workers to immigrant detainees in county jails across the state, passed in the Senate and the House unanimously today. 

“Access to religious ministry is a basic human right that we all deserve, especially in times of need,” said Rep. Burke. “The passage of this bill is a step forward towards compassion for the most needed and it will provide some relief for the spiritual needs of thousands of immigrants held in detention for days or months.”

HB 4613, sponsored by State Representatives Daniel Burke (D-Chicago) and Julie Hamos (D-Evanston) and State Senators Iris Martinez (D-Chicago) and Jacqueline Collins (D-Chicago), has the support of religious institutions and leaders including the Sisters of Mercy, Chicago New Sanctuary Alliance, the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Melrose Park, and the Mosque Foundation, as well as immigrant advocates from the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR), Southwest Organizing Project, and the Resurrection Project.
 
Immigration authorities are detaining increasing numbers of immigrants throughout the country, requiring more space to house the detainees.  Many of these detainees are seeking asylum and are being detained while awaiting their day in court.  Others are there solely for lacking immigration status, without having been charged with any criminal offense.
 
“Immigrants are suffering after being separated from their families and communities, with very limited access to spiritual counseling,” said Rep. Hamos. “Enabling ministry to these immigrants is a basic but compassionate improvement in the conditions that they face.”
 
“Providing access to religious leaders is the right thing to do,” said Sen. Martinez. “Being incarcerated with no access to religious ministry is very unfortunate for these vulnerable communities that are known for being religious. They need this kind of support to keep going in such circumstances.”
 
“We want to recognize the work of the sponsors Reps. Burke, Hamos and Senators Martinez and Collins,” said Lawrence Benito, ICIRR Associate Director. “Especially now that raids and deportations had increased tremendously, the passage of HB 4613 marks a huge victory against the politics of fear in our state, and a signal that our state stands for humane detention practices.”
 
The Access to Religious Ministry Act would ensure that immigration detainees in county jails have the same access to priests, nuns, ministers, rabbis, imams, and other clergy as the criminal populations in these jails. 

• Religious workers would be able to meet with immigration detainees who wish to consult with the religious workers regarding their spiritual and other needs.
• The jails would need to provide religious workers with reasonable access to immigration detainees during scheduled times.
• Such ministries would not count against any visitation to which the detainees would otherwise be entitled. 
• The facility would work to bring in religious workers from various faiths that reflect the religious diversity of the facility’s immigration detained population.