Bill aims to halt immigrant detention center near Chicago

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Democratic Illinois lawmakers want to expand a statewide embargo on private prisons to include detention centers with federal contracts to hold immigrants facing deportation.

The proposed measure comes in response to a vote by community leaders approving a plan for a privately run immigration detention center in the village of Dwight, about 70 miles southwest of Chicago.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is accepting bids for contracts to run detention facilities that can hold 1,000 immigrants within 80 miles of Chicago.

The Chicago Tribune reports the Illinois House passed the proposal Wednesday.

Bill co-sponsor Celina Villanueva says the measure aims to stop the Dwight plan but also to prevent similar facilities from being built elsewhere in Illinois.