State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) released the following statement after the Secretary of Homeland Security held a press conference in Springfield on Latino Unity Day:

“The people who I represent care about their immigrant friends, neighbors and family members. They care about due process and they care about safe, secure neighborhoods. They deserve to live with dignity, take care of their families and contribute to their communities without worrying about being harassed by the federal government.

“Every resident in our state is entitled to due process. That’s what Illinois has stood for and will continue standing for in the face of efforts to roll back our rights. We step up for those in need and live out our values as a welcoming state.

“The federal government may be waging a war on our values and our Constitution, but here in Illinois, we will defend our communities and the fundamental rights that make us who we are.”

State Senator Cristina Castro secured more than $28,000 in grant funding to provide resources for public school libraries across the 22^nd District.

“Creative, innovative and collaborative library programs help bring stories to life and meaning to our students’ education,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “Additional funding will strengthen these essential avenues to learning and equip U-46’s school libraries with the resources our students need to be successful in the 21^st century.”

More than $1.3 million was awarded to 2,484 Illinois public school libraries through the Secretary of State’s School District Library Grant Program. Resources and services supported through the grant include library books, e-books, audiobooks, periodicals, multilingual materials, technology and programs. In the district Castro represents, School District U-46 received a total of $28,979 to support over 40 school libraries.

Terminally ill adults are one step closer to having access to more end-of-life options in Illinois after a measure supported by State Senator Cristina Castro passed the Senate Executive Committee Wednesday.

“At the end of our lives, all of us want options,” said Castro (D-Elgin), a co-sponsor of the legislation. “Medical aid in dying has been implemented in other states like Oregon for over 30 years. Armed with this data and after hearing from family members and terminally ill residents with firsthand experience, I believe expanding this access in Illinois would align with our goals of making sure patients have every safe option available to them.”

Teenagers who spend five or more hours per day on electronic devices are 71% more likely to demonstrate risk factors for suicide — an alarming phenomenon State Senator Cristina Castro is determined to change.

“My legislation takes social media out of the classroom so students can focus on what’s important: learning,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “This measure sets a standard to limit cellphone use during class time but prioritizes flexibility, letting schools take the lead in deciding how it should be implemented in their local community.”

Studies have shown that the mere presence of a smartphone reduces available cognitive capacity — especially for young people who are highly dependent on the devices. Research from over 70 countries and regions with strict school cellphone policies has found that the restrictions resulted in decreased instances of bullying, better attention and focus, and increases in standardized test scores.