Immigration
We are a nation of immigrants, and I am proud of the heritage of inclusion that defines us all as Americans. Our country thrives on the innovation, culture, and diversity that immigrants from all walks of life bring to the United States. The United States has served as a beacon of hope and opportunity for people who seek a better life. History has not looked kindly on us when we have prevented people fleeing violence from seeking refuge in this country.
My Work on Immigration
NAPERVILLE, IL – Today, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) issued the following statement after President Trump stated he wanted to end birthright citizenship:
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) announced his support for legislative measures to bolster the U.S. refugee program and ensure that the United States retains its reputation as a safe haven for individuals around the world. This month, the Trump administration announced a proposal to limit refugee admission to 30,000 people for fiscal year 2019.
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Foster issued the following statement on House Resolution 990:
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) issued the following statement after his visit on Monday to a detention center in Chicago, Illinois for immigrant children who have been separated from their parents.
Democratic Illinois Reps. Jan Schakowsky, Mike Quigley and Bill Foster on Monday visited a migrant children’s shelter in Schakowsky’s district operated by the Heartland Alliance as the Trump administration grapples with reuniting children officials separated from parents at the U.S. – Mexico border.
The Trump White House is struggling with meeting a court-ordered deadline for identifying children separated from their families and bringing them to their parents.
A federal judge's order to reunite children under five years old with their parents will not be met in some cases, meaning about 50 children under five will be waiting even longer.
Monday, local officials visited some of the children in the Chicago area waiting to be reunited with their families. They shared that while the staff was loving and the environment was safe, it was not home.
It was a visit filled with emotion for Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-9th District) and Congressman Bill Foster (D-11th District).
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) issued the following statement on his opposition to H.R. 6136, the Border Security and Immigration Reform Act:
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) issued the following statement on his opposition to H.R. 4760, the Securing America’s Future Act:
“I opposed this legislation because it did not provide real solutions to our current immigration crises. It would have exacerbated the current humanitarian crisis on our border as children continue to spend the night in metal cages away from their parents. It also did not provide a solution to the hundreds of thousands of DREAMers.
Weeks after eight workers at Alfredo’s Iron Works in DeKalb County were detained by federal immigration, U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Naperville, has sent a letter to Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Chicago office asking questions
Foster said he sent the letter to demand answers on the nature of the so-called “Operation Keep Safe,” which resulted in a recent string of arrests and detainments in the Chicago area. ICE announced in May its officers had arrested 156 immigrants in the Chicago area, according to Foster’s statement.
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) has called on U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) to provide more information about its so-called “Operation Keep Safe.” Foster sent a letter to the U.S.