Macon Reporter

Illinois state Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet), a long-time critic of citizen's arrest, this week provided footage of his speech on the Senate floor opposing Gov. J.B. Pritzker's support for allowing citizens to arrest noncitizens.

Rose posted the footage to his Facebook page on Monday. The Facebook post links to Illinois Senate Republican Caucus' footage on YouTube of Rose's Senate floor speech in May.

"For those of you who are aghast that Gov Pritzker has handed non-citizens the ability to arrest citizens (in violation of fed law, I might add), here is my floor speech opposing this move in the first place!!!" Rose said in his Facebook post.

Illinois state Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) during his floor speech opposing Gov. J.B. Pritzker's proposal to allow non-citizens to arrest citizens | YouTube-Illinois Senate Republican Caucus

Rose spoke against allowing non-citizens to act as police officers in Illinois, should they meet certain qualifications, following passage of House Bill 3751. 

"Why on earth would we, the most important power of any government, the most important power that must be conferred with absolute concern for how it is employed, and how it can be abused – is the power to arrest," Rose said during his floor speech. "We listen every day in this building to debates about the police powers of the State of Illinois. And yet, here we are, conferring the police power, the ability to arrest a citizen of the State of Illinois, or frankly, a visitor to Illinois from anywhere else in the United States of America, an American citizen – to a non-citizen. This is just a foundational thing; I get that."

There is a known shortage of law enforcement officers in Illinois' largest city, Rose said.

"Everybody's running away from law enforcement in Chicago because of everything the State of Illinois has done to law enforcement in the City of Chicago," Rose said. "But to backfill that and hand the power to arrest and detain a citizen of this state, or any state in the United States to a non-citizen is a fundamental breach of Democracy."

HB 3751's text states "an individual who is not a citizen but is legally authorized to work in the United States under Federal Law is authorized to apply for the position of police officer, subject to all requirements and limitations, other than citizenship, to which other applicants are subject."

The bill was introduced into the state House on Feb. 17 by Rep. Barbara Hernandez (D-Aurora). Following passage in the House and Senate, Pritzker signed the bill into law on Friday. The bill is set to go into effect Jan. 1.

Rose has represented Illinois' 51st Senate District since he was sworn in in 2013. He previously served a decade in the Illinois House. Rose is a lifelong Illinois resident who lives in Mahomet with his wife and children.