Illinois Immigration Detainees Will Get More Clergy Visits

Yesterday's Chicago Tribune reports that religious groups have begun training around 30 volunteers who will pay visits to individuals being held in county jails awaiting federal deportation. The Access to Religious Ministry Act, passed by the Illinois legislature last December, will go into effect June 1. It requires jails to give reasonable access to religious workers to visit immigration detainees. Currently Illinois jails only permit religious visits for two hours a month to the rotating group of 750 deportees held in jails under contract with the Immigration and Customs Enforceement Agency. [Thanks to Joel Katz for the lead.]