BERWYN – To help community members access helpful resources, State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes is teaming up with Family Focus Cicero to host a Family Resource and Support Day on Thursday, Sept. 25 from 1-4:30 p.m.

“Families in my district have had a tough few months with cuts to federal health programs, increased intimidation from ICE agents and more,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “We always want to help our neighbors out, but it’s more important now than ever to be as accessible as possible and help one another. This event will connect families to essential resources that will hopefully make their daily lives a little bit easier in these stressful times.” 

The Family Resource and Support Day will be held on Thursday, Sept. 25 from 1-4:30 p.m. at Cervantes’ district office, located at 6729 Stanley Ave., 1st Floor, Suite A, in Berwyn. Attendees will receive help translating essential records, accessing public benefits like Medicaid and SNAP, support with citizenship and DACA applications, and more.

BRIGHTON PARK – Following the recent increased presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in his district, State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes (D-Chicago) released the following statement:

“Last week, I joined my colleagues, community leaders, advocacy organizations, and residents to draw attention to issues residents are facing in our neighborhoods due to increased ICE activity.

“No one should be kidnapped off the street when they are trying to make a living. Unfortunately, this was the reality for a local flower vendor, who has been a staple in our community. They were detained by ICE this week along with several other neighbors.

CHICAGO – As the lead sponsor of Illinois legislation intended to protect immigrant workers, State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes (D-Chicago) released the following statement following a judge’s dismissal of attempts from the federal administration to overturn this law, marking a massive win for Illinois immigrant advocates:

“This law helps ensure immigrant workers are not unfairly punished because they struggled to accurately complete the confusing, bureaucratic E-Verify paperwork, which is most commonly not in their first language. I fought for this legislation so immigrant workers would be afforded more grace and time to correct any errors, not lose their livelihood due to innocent mistakes. I am grateful the legal system has recognized the validity of this legislation, and has stood against the federal administration’s brazen attempts to steamroll states’ policies in an attempt to dehumanize our immigrant neighbors.

SPRINGFIELD – Thanks to work by State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes, youth offenders will now have more clarity about when they may petition for parole.

“Young people who have done their time and worked to better themselves deserve to re-enter their communities when they are eligible so they can be better set up for a more successful future,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “This measure clears up confusion around the timeline young people are eligible for parole so they can begin a fresh start as soon as they are able to.”

Currently, young people who were under 21 at the time of committing a criminal offense can file a petition for a parole hearing up to three years before they are eligible for parole. If appropriately filed, the Prisoner Review Board sets a parole hearing date three years from the date it received the petition. However, sometimes a person is already eligible for a youthful parole hearing when they file a petition because they have already served the required number of years. This has caused some confusion when they file a petition over if the parole hearing can take place within a year, or if they have to wait three years for a hearing.