WATCH: Legislator raises red flag over Illinois tax funds for group encouraging ICE protests

By Greg Bishop | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – An Illinois legislator is raising concerns about state taxpayer funds going to an organization he says is actively working to impede federal law enforcement.

Public records through the Illinois Comptroller’s website show Centro de Trabajadores Unidos, or the United Workers Center, received more than $3.6 million from the state of Illinois since 2015, most of that coming since 2023.

Illinois state Rep. Adam Niemerg, R-Dieterich, has a problem with the funding.

“We find ourselves in an era where we see another NGO, another non-governmental organization, funded by the taxpayers of the state of Illinois for a political ideological purpose,” Niemerg told The Center Square. “And furthermore, this violates federal law … first off, this needs to stop.”

The group’s Facebook page features postings declaring “Kidnapping confirmed by ICE,” with messages showing how to identify the difference between border patrol, ICE, National Guard and state and local police. Some messaging on the group’s page says “STAND UP FIGHT BACK!”

Niemerg said the group is putting people in harm’s way.

“Anytime you mobilize radical political activists such as these organizations do, and we’ve seen this all over the country, especially what we’ve seen in Minneapolis, if we see these organizations putting these people in harm’s way, impeding federal law enforcement, bad things happen,” he said. “We don’t want any more loss of life. We don’t want that to happen.”

The group’s Facebook page provides instructions on reporting and taking photos and videos of ICE activity, but to “keep distance” and “don’t risk it!”

When contacted by phone, a media spokesperson for Centro de Trabajadores Unidos was not immediately available to provide comment.

Niemerg said the issue is clear to him.

“It’s a situation where we have tax payers from Illinois paying for an organization that is actively impeding federal law, and they have a mission statement to do just that,” Niemerg said. “Federal immigration authorities are under attack constantly and daily. ICE is under attack daily. And now we have Illinois taxpayers flipping the bill for that to happen, and it has to stop.”